Prisoner
by Is Sales
Summary: AU meme, old England, Lily Evans is the daughter of the richiest man of the city, James Potter is a dirty and murder pirate. But Evans ends up being prisoner in the same ship that Potter is a sailor. M for swearing and maybe adult themes. I am sorry for any grammar mistakes. English is not my first language.
1. Lily

This fanfiction will have quotes from A Song of Ice and Fire, and also I "stole" the religion of the Seven Gods because really this is the best thing ever. Also there will be some swearing. Please read and review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or A Song of Ice and Fire.

* * *

I sat in front of my mirror, and brushed my hair, quietly. Normally, my maid did this for me, but today, I had the desesperate need to have a little time to myself and my thoughts. Today had been a big day. I've met my fiancé. He's beautiful, tall, and strong. He has a blonde short hair, and soft, but firm, blue eyes. He's a commandant. He's _the_ commandant of the town. I heard people in the street talking about our marriage. It made sense. The daughter of the richest man with the commandant of our town. We were perfect for each other. Our marriage will be in two weeks. It will be big, of course. I sighed, focusing on the mirror. I would even more, the center of the attentions. I'm eighteen. I should be married had been a long time. My friend, Elena, is seventeen, and is already married had been 3 years, and she already is a mother. But well, I didn't accepted most of the men who come to marry me. Not that I have so much of an option. But some men just don't see that special beauty on me. They want a pretty wife, of course. It's been 4 years since I've matured. Father has been looking for a husband for me since that day. I told him I would _not_ accept being sold like a horse. I've got a slap in answer. You see, when I was fourteen, I was scared. I didn't want to be married to the men he offered me. Old, fat, completely disrespectful… They didn't look like the perfect husband for me. I've seen them in the feast that father organized. Touching, caressing the waitresses, and with a big cup of wine in the other hand. Men who only passions were alcohol and whores. Just like Elena's husband. And I didn't want a life like this for me. And I still don't.

_Family. Duty. Honor._ My mother always said that to me. But since she's gone, father decided that duty is in front of everything; even family. My duty was to be a nice wife. I could be that. I knew how to cook, I knew how to act on a feast, I knew how to dance, to read, to recite, to sew… Oh, I would be a _lovely _puppet. And I also knew – my cheeks turned into a slight red with the thought of it – how to please him.

"_You have to please him." Said my father, grabbing me by the shoulders and shaking me, a few hours ago. "You have to please him, do you understand? I need his army."_

Yes. This is the deal. Father gives me to Brandon. Brandon gives him an army. Even though my father didn't touch a woman in that way since my mother passed away, he's not stupid. He knew what man liked: a warm woman's body in their bed. I was still a virgin. I shiver at the thought of my wedding night. _Family. Duty. Honor; Duty. Duty. Duty._ I let out a deep breath. Not all women had such a bad luck like my friend Elena. Some even grew to love their husband.

I put my brush down, and face myself in the mirror. My scarlet hair is nearly acceptable. Instead of looking at myself for more time, I look at the window. There are nothing keeping me from the outside (except by the height) but I still feel trapped. Like a bird in the cage. I close my eyes, and whisper."Please, dear gods. Please save me from this marriage, from this future that waits for me. Give me a life of adventures."

I open my eyes, and then I heard it. A scream.

* * *

I got up and looked to the street. Things were on fire, women screamed in pain and despair, kids were crying, terrified. Swords collided and some men screamed a few moments before dying. Only one word crossed my mind. _Pirates_. I've heard thousands of stories about them. Monsters, who rape every women who is unfortunate enough to cross their way, and kill every living soul that get in the middle of his plans. They're thieves, rapist, killers. _And they were in my city_. The danger of the situation finally hit me. I snapped back from my window and looking for a place, _any place, _that I could hide. I went straight to my wardrobe and closed myself in it. I stayed silent, and prayed for all the seven gods for protection.

I heard drunk, mean laughter, and someone kicked the door of my bedroom. I hold down a scream successfully. I move myself quiet and slowly, so I can see through a tiny opening. They were a group of four men.

"Did you shut that little maid down, Moony?" asked of them, the tallest of them all, while looking around. He had long black hair, hidden in a headband, and had an earring in only one ear. He seemed drunk. His grey eyes had a mischievous glow, like this all mess he and his friends were causing was actually _funny_. He held his sword like he was ready to stab anyone who dares to stumble his way.

"Yeah." Replied the one that must be Moony. What a strange name. He didn't look as savage as the first one, but his face was full of scars, and his eyes showed no pity; he was as merciless as any of them. His hair was blonde. Not Brandon-type blonde. A dirty blonde, like he hasn't washed it in weeks. And for the smell, I think I was right. "Poor girl. I told her to tell us where the girl were, that I would her go. But she didn't tell me anything."

"Remus snapped her neck." Said the tiniest one. He looked afraid, like he didn't want to be there. I could understand him.

"Shut up, Wormtail." Said Moony, or Remus, with his eyes flickering dangerously. "And don't say my name here. We don't want it to match my pretty face in a "dead or alive" poster, do we?" He smiled humorless. "Anyway, we can find the girl by ourselves. You can't be _that_ useless."

"You killed her?" barker the one with the headband. "You didn't let me fuck her, but you killed her?"

"Please, Padfoot. We aren't here to rape anyone." Said the last one, who were searching something in my draws, and now was slipping some of my jewelry into my pocket. He turned to the three men, and I finally could see his face. He was the completely opposite of Brandon. He had a messy brown hair, that I felt the need to try to make it look a little better, and big eyes that looked like the eyes of an eagle. He was also strong, and his sword wasn't in his hand. His eyes scanned the room. "We need the Evans girl." He said, finally, and I held my breath.

"Can I fuck her?" asked Padfoot.

"I am going to fuck _you_ if you don't drop this." Said Moony.

"But she'll be a prisoner!" he protested.

"We're nice to prisoners." Replied Moony. Padfoot snorted. "Well, at least to _important_ prisoners. Which you were not."

"Shut up, you two." Said the one with the messy hair.

"Who do you think you are to tell me to shut up, Prongs?" barked Padfoot, with a mix of laughter in his voice.

"I said _shut up_, I think I heard something."

The air got tense. I held my breath once again, not daring to make the tiniest move or breath.

"Enough with the joking." Said Moony. "Let's find her and go. We already loose too much time."

Each of them went for a place, to look for me. And Prongs came straight in my direction.

"_That's it."_ I think to myself. _"It's over."_

The man opened the door, and grinned evilly when he looked at me.

The irony of the situation is so huge that I can't help but snore. I ask to the gods to give me a life of adventures, and they bring me pirates, who don't seem friendly at all.


	2. James

Thank you so much for the reviews!

Yes, I notice the grammar mistake there "We already loose too much time." I noticed after I posted though, and is a moron when comes about deleting the only chapter of the story, and I already had reviews so I felt bad for deleting and fixing the mistake.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

Sirius and Remus were arguing like an old married couple and Peter were too busy looking for something that could help him buy rum. I listened someone take a deep breath. It was the girl. The other three didn't notice it. Peter can be in the ship it's been three years, but he's definitely not the smartest person in the world. Remus is new, but he's already one of the favorites of the Captain, since he can kill people before they even realize. And Sirius? Well, Sirius became my best friend in the few months he was in the ship. He was a boy in the town, who followed us into the ship. He wanted to be a pirate. Captain locked him up in the cell. He only got out about two months ago, because Katherine, Captain's daughter, has a thing for him. Not that she will admit, of course. But me? I've been in the sea since I can remember. My dad was a pirate. My mother was a whore. First I would get offended when people told me this, but I've learned that it was true. Dad came back to the same city one year after he slept with her, and found me, three months old. He took me with him. I don't why a pirate would take a baby with him in the dangers of the sea, but I always heard my dad was a bit crazy. But who cares? Now he's dead. My family, and only family, is the crew of the ship, even though the only person I am slightly emotional attached are Sirius, Remus, Peter and Katherine. Katherine has been in the sea almost as much time that I am. Eighteen years. We learn stuffs. Like to keep your eyes and ears open, because _everyone_ is capable of stabbing a knife in your back. So, yeah, I heard the breath. When I finally got the two of them to shut up, I went straight to the wardrobe and opened the door.

Captain told me she was attractive. But he didn't tell me she was _stunning_. Her red hair was long and bright, and her deep green eyes looked at me in a fierce way that it made me feel ashamed of myself for invading her home and kidnapping her. Me, a pirate, feeling ashamed. She had some freckles that contrasted with her pale skin.

And then, she did the most unusual thing: she snorted. For a moment I considered looking around to see if the guards weren't here. But no. She was thinking that was funny. Of all the girls I've kidnapped or killed, she was the first one ever to find it funny. Most girls just cried, begged or screamed. Or maybe a combination of the three of them.

"What's so funny, my lady?" I said, sarcastically.

"Don't talk to me like that, you moron." She snapped.

"Oh, sweetheart." Sirius said, approaching her, and pointing the sword at her neck. "You better watch your tongue, while you still have one."

"You pig!" She ignored the threat. She was a brave girl. She didn't seem to be older than any of us, eighteen, I guess. I looked at her hand. She wasn't married. Most girls at fourteen are already married. I could only imagine why she wasn't yet. Sirius touched her neck with the sword.

"You better be quiet. Our friend Moony there can break a pretty neck like yours in two seconds." She was smart enough to shut up.

"Oh, Padfoot." Said Moony, with a mean grin in his face. "You don't want to scare the lady."

She opened her mouth to talk back, but I slightly stepped on her foot. She looked extremely offended, but closed it. I took a knife from my pocket and handed it to Sirius.

"You take her. And be gentle."

"Yes, Prongs." He said, grinning, and putting the sword down. "I'll be a gentleman to your little flower." He pulled her by the waist and put the knife on her neck, not close enough to cut, but if she tried to escape, it would most probably kill her.

"Let me go!" she squeaked.

"I'm letting you go, sweetheart, when we get to the ship."

We left the street. It was still a mess, and even though we were a big group, no one noticed. They were too worried taking care of the people. She opened her mouth to scream, but realize it was useless. We crossed the street and entered a alley, coming out in the other side, when I could see that the crew was getting ready to leave.

"Finally!" Katherine screamed, sitting in the edge of the ship. "Captain said he was going to leave without you." She had a dark, brown hair, and big dark eyes, but her face cracked into a smile when she saw us. "I thought you had lost Black in a whorehouse!"

"Very funny, Kath." He said, climbing into the ship, and then releasing the girl, who caressed her neck, carefully. She looked around, probably thinking how she could escape from this. She saw what other rich girls that we got always see: no way out.

"I'm taking her to the Captain." I said, getting her arm gently and pulling her to his office. Remus followed straight behind. Sirius was already bragging about the adventure, and Peter was drunk already. I knocked on the door.

"Enter." Said him. Captain was a dark man, but I understand that all the years in the sea must have changed him. He's a tall man, and even being old, is one of the strongest I've ever met. He's the Captain for years, and he never had a riot. His dark eyes are frightening, and his long beard matches the effect. I could hear the Evans girl groan lowly besides me. "So, girl." He said, looking straight at her. She raised her eyebrows in answer. "What's your name?"

"Alayne. Alayne Stone, sir."

He glared at me and Remus, but Remus seemed to already have the answer.

"You told us she was a redhead, and looked around eighteen years. There wasn't anyone at the house. The guards, her father, and the employees weren't there. Were too busy with the distraction. There was one maid, though. She did _not_ act like a lady. She acted like a scared maid that is loyal to her boss. She didn't tell me where the girl was. Then I killed her." The Captain opened his mouth to protest. "It's alright. She was a blonde one, and looked about thirty. And then, we went to the room and found her. And by her strong and proud attitude, I would guess that she is the Evans girl."

He looked at the girl, who finally let some panic show.

"What's your name, sweetheart? You're going to spend a long time with us. We would be better if we became friends, don't you think?"


	3. Lily II

Thank you for the story alerts/favorites! And also for the reviews (: I'm so so so so so so sorry I didn't show up so much, but I got sick. In my country, it's winter, and yes, I can't pass a winter without getting extremely sick. But anyway! I'm going to try to update next week, but it's my exams week, but I'll try anyway.

Please read and review (:

* * *

"I'm Lily." I replied. "Lily Evans." He cracked a smile, with a gold tooth.

"Of course you are. Potter, take our Lily-flower to her new room. Lupin, you come here and write a letter to her father. He has the right to know where his precious daughter is." Lupin, or Moony, took a step forward, sitting in a chair, and grabbing a piece of parchment and a quill. Potter, or Prongs, grabbed me by the arm and dragged me out of the room. And I finally notice. We're at the sea. Oh, dear lord, we're at the sea and _moving_.

This isn't happening. I pulled myself out of his grip, and held myself in the edge of the ship. I could see my dinner dripping into the sea. I sat down, trembling. The man, Potter, was looking at me, a little concerned. He ripped the cleanest part of his shirt, and handed me, like a handkerchief. I cleaned my mouth with it. After, he took it, and threw it away.

"So you're a soft one." He said, grinning.

"I am not soft!" I replied, getting on my feet again. He smiled, like my reaction was funny.

"I'm James, by the way. Lily, right?"

"Don't be nice to me!"

"You want me to be rude?"

"You freaking kidnapped me! An hour ago. You can't just be a gentleman now."

"Oh, Lily, I was just following orders." He said, like we were already best friend. "Let's go." He said, pulling me again. "So, if you want to survive, you better listen to me."

"My dad is going to pay the rescue, and I'll be back home."

"I wouldn't hope so much, darling." He said, looking at me. We were alone. The sounds of the screams and laughter were a little away.

"What do you mean? He's my _father_."

"Yes, he's your father. But you're eighteen, and you're still single. I heard about you in the town. Your dad is desesperate to marry you, Lily. I can see why. I'm not saying you're not… Outstanding, because you are. But they're so much younger girls out there. And after you get out of this ship… Well, people will start to doubt your virginity."

"I'm not going to let them…"

"Yes, I know. I won't let them hurt you either. But people will die. I'm in this ship for years, Lily. I've seen a lot of girls come here with the hope of her parents rescuing them, and they end up dying here. You know how the world is, honey. Your father wouldn't risk having a pirate ship again in the place that gives him money just because of a _girl_."

I know I shouldn't trust him. If he wanted to keep me safe, he should have pretended that he didn't listen to me. He should have kept me home. And know he's saying that my father didn't care about me?

"I don't believe you." I said. His face twisted into a grimace.

"I know you wouldn't. But I like you. You're different."

"But I could use some advice."

"You know Sirius?" I shook my head, quietly. "Padfoot."

"Oh. The one with the earring." I said, making a face. He chuckled.

"Yes, this one. He's only alive because he became friend with the right person."

"And who's the right person?"

"Katherine. Captain's daughter. Make her like you, and Captain will keep you alive."

I realized we were going down some stairs.

"Who's her?"

"The only girl in the ship, except you. Watch your step, this one is broken." I jumped the step, and I felt like vomiting again.

"Dear God, what is this smell?" I said, disgusted.

"Sorry about that. We don't really take care of this place of the ship."

I was going to say that it didn't seem like they did take care of any place of the ship, but I wasn't going to be so rude.

"I told you. Make Katherine likes you. She'll take you out of here in two minutes."

"And then I go to where, exactly?"

"Maybe her room. I just know Captain won't put you with the men. But who cares?"

Yes. I found myself agreeing with him. Who cares? Any place is better than here.

He took a key out the wall, and opened the cell. I looked around, finally realizing. _He wasn't my friend_. I was starting to feel safe around him, but he wasn't my friend. He was going to make me his prisoner. And I couldn't let this happen.

"If I were you, I wouldn't try to do this. You know the only escape from here is drowning yourself, and I'm sure both of us wouldn't want this, would we?"

"I hate you."

He put me into the cell, and grinned.

"I wasn't expecting a better reaction." He closed the door, and turned the key. "Whenever Kath appears, be nice to her. She's the only one who could do something about you."

I feel like literally spitting at his face right now, but he left too quickly, probably imagining that I would try to do something like this.

Oh, crap. How I _hate_ pirates.


	4. Warning!

Just a little warning. I'm really really thankful for all the reviews and feedback. I know I haven't update this week, but it's exams week, but now it's almost finished! And winter break starts tomorrow. I'm going to try, _really_ try, to write one chapter per day, or at least, one chapter every three days. I'm going to post a new chapter tomorrow, I promise!


	5. Sirius

Yes! Winter break, 20 days of a _lot_ of free time because I have no social life! Anyway, here's the new chapter. R&R

* * *

I was bragging. Of course I was. We had successfully kidnapped the Evans girl.

"It was a dangerous job to do, but hey, someone got to do it, right?" I said, while John gave me a bottle of rum.

Most people from the crew would think I'm pathetic. I was a prisoner a few months ago, I should be becoming Captain's pet. But a captain can be taken away if the crew gets mad at him. But the captain can take away the whole crew if he gets mad at them. If you make people _like _you, you can stay alive longer. It's not the strongest who survive out here. It's the smartest. And luckily, that's who I am.

John handed me a bottle of rum.

"So, did you meet any guards in the way?"

"Yes, we did!" I lied. "I had to kill him, poor man, didn't even seen what killed him."

The only thing that was missing here was some girl on my lap. Or maybe two. I really wish he could just go to that island again. It was _paradise_. But we spend three days on it, and now we have to get some gold so we have something to spend. If there was something I hated about being pirate was the constant absence of women. Of course, now there was the Evans girl, but the way James looked at her… Well, I wouldn't dare to hurt her. I've only know James for a few months, but we've become best mates. The four of us, actually. Me, James, Remus and Peter. Peter is a coward, you can tell it just by looking at him. He wouldn't hesitate before betraying me so he can save his own neck. But James and Remus aren't like that. I would kill for them, and I would die for them, and I know they would do the same for me. It's nice to have a friend in the miserable, cruel world.

And, of course, we had her. _Katherine_. I looked around, and I spot her sitting on a barrel, with a bottle in her hand, and that smile that she wears all the time, like she knows something I don't. Her long brown hair covered her shoulders, and her black eyes shined with the sunlight. Her lips were full and red, and I feel the urge to vanish inside her soft kiss. We've done this a couple times. You know, sex. Captain doesn't know. Actually, nobody knows. It's better this way. I'm not really looking forward to die.

I looked right into her eyes, and cracked a smile, moving my eyebrow in a silent question. Her smile opened more and she got up very slowly, going downstairs.

"Oh, well, boys." I said, getting up. "I'm tired, there's nothing to do, and I'm going to sleep."

"The sun is high, it must be around moon."

"Well, if you haven't notice, I spend the whole night awake, kidnapping the girl. I have the right to sleep a little, don't I?"

They shrugged, and I left, going downstairs as well.

"Kath?" I said, looking for her. The basement was empty, how it was expected in this time of the day. We've already eaten lunch. She didn't reply. Oh, well, so we are going to play this game. "C'mon, Kath, I'm not playing hide and seek." She snorted, and at least I found out which direction to take. "Come out, come out, wherever you are…"

"Nice one, big guy." She said, touching my back. "If I was an enemy, you would be lying dead on the floor."

"You would never kill me." I said while she pushed me to the wall, locking me there. She laughed quietly.

"I wouldn't be so certain about it. But have we come here to talk? Because if we did, I would rather be upstairs. It doesn't smell well in here."

I grinned, and kissed her. She kissed me back, scratching my back softly. I locked her to the wall, and she smiled through the kiss.

"Douchebag." She whispered. I didn't reply, just kissed her more fiercely. She moaned into my mouth.

* * *

We spend one hour on this little battle of ours. Or maybe two. It didn't matter. Her kiss, her body, her touch, everything about her was completely perfect.

"We can't spend so much time in here, they'll notice." She whispered, breathless.

"I don't care…" I said, biting her neck softly.

"You never do." She replied, laughing.

"Not when I'm with you."

"Nice one, Romeo." She said, putting her shirt on.

"Oh, don't do that. It was a lovely sight." She rolled her eyes at me.

"Put some pants on, please." She said, sarcastically.

"Why would I?"

"I'm going upstairs. If someone sees you there, I'll not hesitate to tell them that you were playing with yourself." She said, leaving. I laughed, silently, and dressed myself. I got upstairs, and Captain put a plate with a food that seemed so much tasty that what we had for lunch in my hand.

"For me?"

"Of course not, your dog. It's for the girl."

"What girl?"

"The Evans girl! Where is your mind, boy?"

_Inside your daughter's pants._

* * *

"Girl!" I said, looking for the keys. She looked at me, with her eyes full of rage. "Hey, it isn't my fault that you got kidnapped."

"Actually…" she said, with the most dignity she could find behind the cell's grids. " It is."

"I brought you some food."

"I'm not eating your filthy food!"

"Alright, then starve. And actually, this isn't filthy. If you think it is, you haven't seen what _I _got for lunch."

"I am_ not_ eating anything."

"Nice try, sweetheart. All the girls do that, until their hunger is bigger than their pride. You'll get to that point, you know."

"My father is going to rescue…"

"Don't give me that shit. James would want you to eat, you know."

"Don't talk about that pig like it would convince me."

"It won't?"

"No. It won't. I hate him almost as much I hate you."

Ouch, James. Wrong girl to fall in love with.

"How much do you hate me?" I said, grinning.

"A lot." She replied.

"Alright. Here's the food." I said, opening the cell, and putting the plate on the table. She was smart enough to not trying to escape. I closed the door slowly, provoking her.

"Even more now."

"You're going to like me someday. I have this effect on women."

She laughed, humorless.

"I'm going to be kissing Potter before I like you."


	6. Lily III

So well, I was going to reply the anon privately but I couldn't because duh it's anon. So yeah.

Anon: If you have a profile, can you PM me why you think that Sirius is a bit un-Sirius? Thank you for the review though (: I like to know what I can improve.

The other who reviewed, thank you too! I'm going to stop talking, anyway.

* * *

I wasn't going to eat. At least not _their_ food. I refuse to go so low. I refuse to accept that I'm going to spend so much time in here that I'll have to eat. My father is going to rescue. I know he is. It doesn't matter what those pigs say. He will. He has to. My stomach hurts, disagreeing with what I just thought. I looked through the wall of the ship and I noticed the sun was already down. I have spent three days sitting here. I'm hungry. So hungry. I won't eat. I can't eat. Not their food. _I won't_ _eat_. Maybe they'll bring me dinner. Not that it will make any difference. I will _not_ cringe for them. I hear some footsteps on the stairs, and I pray that is not the man who came here the other day, or Potter. Oh gods, please, don't let it be Potter.

It was the girl. Katherine, I would guess. Captain's daughter. Her lips were extremely red, like she had just kissed someone for hours.

"Hello."

I didn't say a word.

"Nice. Not talking then? This is not going to make your father to save you. So, you're not eating this, right?" I looked at her. "Great, I'm hungry." She started to eat my dinner, her eyes showing how much fun she was having with me. "You know who I am."

"You're Captain's daughter." I replied.

"Yes. And normally, I'm not supposed to talk to the prisoners, or bring them food. Can you imagine why I am here?"

"Maybe they were out of people to send here."

"No. It was James' work this time. But he asked me a favor. And since we've met each other for a long time, I accepted. He wanted me to talk to you. Any idea why?"

She did know, of course. She knows him way better than I do. But I did know too. But well, two can play this game.

"No idea." I replied, politely. "How about you?"

She smiled malicious, delighted that I had asked the right question.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe he likes your pretty face. Maybe he thinks that you will fall in love with him and spend the rest of your days in this ship, with him. Maybe he thinks he's in love."

"If he only _thinks_ he's in love, then it's not true love."

"Oh, honey. Pirates do not know true love. They know money. They know how to kill. They know torture. They know luxury. They know sin. They know a lot of things, but they do not know true love. Especially James."

I looked at her, deep in her eyes. What did she mean with "Especially James"? Maybe she was afraid I would fall in love with him. But I wouldn't. He was the main reason I was here. He was the main reason that I was starving. He was the main reason that I was not home. He was the one who caused everything.

"Did he tell you about me?"

I nodded, not even hearing the question. He ripped me out of my home and now he thinks he's _in love_ with me. That just ridiculous.

"He probably told me that I could take you out of here. Well, honey, I can. But I don't want him to break you."

"What?" I said, looking at her. "What do you mean, to break me?"

"He will make you love him without you even notice. He will make you laugh, he will make you smile, he will make you think that life is actually worth it, he will make you think that everything is _so_ great whenever he is around, he will make you feel special. He will make you feel like finally, you belong somewhere. He will make you feel like home. But then, he will break your heart in tiny little pieces and he will _spit_ on it, and you are never going to be able to trust a man again because he lifted you up so high and then let you fall so hard!" I could feel the anger in her voice. I could also feel the pain. Potter had broken her. "He will break you. You're not strong enough to deal with someone like James."

"And were you strong enough to deal with him?"

I could see the fire in the eyes and I could feel how much she wanted to hurt me after this one. But the fire was gone quickly, and her emotionless mask was back in her face.

"I'm going to talk to my father." She got up and left me there.

* * *

I couldn't sleep. It was late, I could tell that because the whole crew was already asleep and the screams and laughter were gone. My stomach rumbled. At least my dinner was eaten by Katherine, so I didn't have to look at it for hours.

"Hi." Said a voice in the dark. I recognized it in the same second, and tried to pretend that I was asleep. "I'm here for an hour, I know you're awake."

I sighed, giving up.

"Hello, Potter." He smiled that stupid smile of him.

"I heard you're hungry."

"I'm not hungry."

"You've been here for three days. You have to eat."

"Not your food."

"You don't have any other. C'mon, eat it. I stole it. If anyone founds out, I'm dead."

_He will make you feel special_.

"So take it back. I'm not eating."

"The letter to your father wasn't even sent yet. It's going to take months to you to go back home. You can't starve all this time. Just eat." He said, opening the door, and handing me the plate. I handed it back to him.

"Aren't you going to close it?"

"You're not able to escape. The only way out of here is the sea. And we both know you're not a fan of it."

I stared at him. He smiled. I rolled my eyes. He laughed.

"C'mon, take it." He said, handing me the plate once again. I gave up. I _was_ really starving. I sat extremely away from him, and started eating. It was the best feeling I had since I step into this stupid ship. I started eating faster, and I could see he was smiling victorious.

"I hate you." I said.

"I know you do." He replied, still smiling.


	7. Remus

Anon: I always pictured Sirius as the mean kinda of pirate, not the killer one, like Remus, but yes, he can be charming. He can't be really charming when there's only two girls on the ship right? haha

The others reviews I replied in PM. Thank you sososo much for the reviews. The biggest counts of reviews I ever had was about 10? So 18 is a lot to me, and all the favorites and story alerts are amazing to!

So... Here's the first Remus POV.

* * *

We finally send the letter to that girl's father. I could hear that the few days she spent here were making a change. She wasn't so polite anymore. Actually, she screamed a lot. Especially when Potter was the one to take her food. And she was even _swearing_. I snorted. A lady swearing. I've seen thousands of ladies back in my town and they were all polite, even to me.

"What's so funny, boy?"

"Nothing, Captain. Inner joke. Can I leave now?"

He nodded.

"Later I'll need you to read this map. We need money, and the only way we get money is picking the right town." He said, not raising the eyes from his map. "Now out." I left his office, and I could hear someone whispering "Captain's pet."

I cracked my neck, and took a deep breath. The rage filled up my body and put my hands into fists.

_Control it. _I hear his voice in my head. _You have a beast inside of you, so control it._

Most people of the crew would find weird that I could write and read. They would think I was some rich man's son, but that wasn't true. I was born in the street, just like Sirius. But I didn't grow up there. A man found me. A wizard. Dumbledore. Well, at least he said he was a wizard. People from the town called him "the crazy man". When he was in the store, the people didn't like to sell to him. When he was in the park, the people would stay away from him. When he was in the streets, people would cross it so they wouldn't have to be on the same side as him.

But of course, a starving kid in the street wouldn't care if he was a wizard or not. He would care if he had food or not. And he had. And I went with him. I spent my whole childhood learning how to read and how to write. Learning with herbs where the best to make potions, learning about magical creatures. I never learned how to do magic. I could do some of the potions. But of course, I could never imagine that the magical creatures _did_ exist. I could never imagine that… Those werewolves did exist. And of course, I would never imagine that I would get scratched by one of them. Dumbledore calmed me down. I wasn't going to become one of them. I wasn't going to be a beast. But I was going to feel different when it was full-moon. I was going to feel angry all the time. I was going to crave for red meat. I was going to be violent. And I had to control it. I had to close my eyes and take a deep breath, and _control it._

I haven't seen Dumbledore since I stepped into this ship. It was full-moon, the people were screaming and running, the beast was getting nervous. The smell of blood was so attractive. The first person who ran into me got killed. I don't even know their name, their age, I don't know anything about the first person I killed. I was a beast.

O f course, James didn't think that way. He thought it was amazing. That I was a perfect pirate. He invited me. He talked about the women. He talked about the rum. He talked about the money. He talked about the adrenaline. He talked about lots of thing, how the pirate life was the perfect life.

Of course, all he was trying to do was save his own neck. He had just broken the heart of the Captain's daughter, Katherine. He needed a good reason to keep his head on his shoulders. But I only found this when we were already at the sea. And anyway, the pirate life is a nice life. I wouldn't say perfect. You have to be always alert; you never know when someone will stab you. I know how easy is to kill. After all, I've done it thousands of times.

"Hey, Remus! C'mon here." I heard Sirius calling. I sat beside him and Peter.

"Where's James?" I said, getting a bottle of his hand.

"I don't know. Probably hitting on the red-hair. That girl has a temper, wouldn't like to deal with her."

"I've heard her screams. She does sounds… adorable."

Sirius gave his dog-like laugh.

"Totally. James sounds like a girl 'Lily this, Lily that, I love Lily, Lily is amazing, Lily is so beautiful…' I feel like punching him." I laughed.

"James is in love."

"He's not in love. He just thinks she's pretty. You've seen him when we go to a town." I raised my eyebrow. "I mean, a town that we don't go robbing. The girls who aren't too busy with daddy here, go with him. He never had been in love. He just likes their beauty."

"He seems to be fighting with Lily, thought. She hates him." Said Peter.

"Oh, no, little one." Said Sirius. "She hates the fact that she doesn't hate him."

* * *

"Lupin, wake up!" said Michael pushing me out of my bed. "Captain wants to see you."

I grumbled something, and he left. I could feel that he was quite happy with the fact that he could push me out of my bed. He hates me. Everyone hates me here. Everyone wants to be Captain's favorite.

I climbed up the stairs, and I could see some of the guys choose to sleep at sky-light. I could see a group of four who couldn't sleep and was playing dices. The light was nice for this. It was full moon. I wish I could hide myself in my bed again, but I couldn't. I had to see the Captain. I knocked on his door and waited for the answer.

"Enter."

I opened it and forced my eyes to look away from the moon, and entered. Katherine was there, with a bored expression, looking at the map. I had to teach her how to read, but she wasn't the slightest interest. She told me that the day I had a body like Sirius', she would like to take lessons.

"Yes, Captain?"

"We're here." He said, pointing a place in the sea. "The nearest places we can go are here." He said, pointing the coast of a country. "You good with this, Lupin. Which city is the richest here?" When I finally looked at the map, I recognized. It was the north coast of France. It was where I lived before all of this. I looked up to him. He gave me that sick little smile of his. I knew what this means. It was time to prove it that I was loyal. Was I a pirate or was I only playing one? The richest town in the north of France was my town. He knew it. I knew it. It was only a test.

I pointed to the map.

"This town is the richest. We're going to get big money there."


	8. James II

Thank you for the feedback, and sorry for the lack of update on the last two days: I just found out Doctor Who and I just... wow.

Anyway! WerewolvesAndCo: tried to make this chapter longer!

* * *

The water did the stupid sound that it always does when it hit the wood. I started cleaning it slowly. I did this yesterday. And the day before. And the day before. Since me and Katherine stopped being together, Captain won't let me have some free time. But of course, there is nothing else to do in the ship, so he'll tell me to clean it. The sun was high in the sky and I was feeling hot. I was sweating, but of course, I couldn't just stop cleaning and go downstairs to play dices. The only people who were here were some men who were working too, and Remus. Remus was holding the edge of the ship, looking at sea, like he could jump. His nails were carving the wood, and his face showed controlled anger and fear. He has been like this since Captain said we were going to France. He looked miserable, even though he tried to hide. He spent the whole night killing the wooden doll we have in every single way he could think with his sword. I asked him what was happening, and of course, he didn't answer. He just grumbled something and left. I stopped looking at him and returned to cleaning the ship.

"One day…" I whispered to it. "You'll be mine."

The whole ship was amazing. I was raised here. I knew every secret of this place. I knew the basement, the Captain's office, the storage, the cells, I could be blind and still don't lose myself in this place. And also, I knew the crew. Arthur, who lost a hand in the battle and decided that being loyal to the crown didn't worth it if they couldn't bring his hand back. Matthew, who seemed to think that everything was funny, and had always a joke in his sleeve. Liam, who always cheated on dices. Nicholas, who it's been years since I saw him sober. John, who were arrested after stealing an apple. All of them had their story, and all of them had a reason to be there. I knew the crew better than Captain did. I had all the rights to _be _the Captain. Of course, I would never reach this point, unless I made a riot. And I couldn't risk this. Sirius probably would. He doesn't really think before doing something.

"Prongs!" Speaking of the devil…

"Yes, Padfoot?"

"Remus is moody."

"I noticed."

"Any idea why?"

I shrugged, throwing the cloth at him.

"Maybe he doesn't like France?" I suggested. He snorted.

"Who doesn't like France? It's paradise!" I raised an eyebrow at him. "All the girls, and the courtesans, and the theatre, the music, the food. I love France!"

"You love everything that has sex in it."

He shrugged.

"Maybe Remus is in that time of the month." Sirius said.

"Are you stupid? Only women have that time of the month."

"He always gets angrier in a week or so." I rolled my eyes at him.

"If you think he's a woman, you can ask him whenever you want. But I don't think he would be pleased."

"Whatever." He said furrowing his eyebrows. "Katherine asked me to tell you that she's getting Evans out of her cell."

"She is? When?" I said, a smile showing in my face.

"Today, probably. I don't know what you see on that girl. I mean, she's pretty, but…" He made a face. "She got such a temper."

"I like a good challenge. She's going to like me."

Sirius laughed out loud.

"I doubt it. She despises you."

"I'm sure is just a mask. Her life seemed pretty boring, I took her out of it."

"She doesn't look really amused by this." He said, smiling mockingly. "I'm going to play dices, I need to get myself some money." He went downstairs again. Remus was still staring at the sea. Captain opened the door of his office, and Peter was in there.

"Potter!" he screamed.

Oh, crap.

* * *

"Some little bird told me…" Captain said, his dark eyes flickering with anger. "You stole some food." I looked around to the people who had heard Captain's scream and came to watch what that was about. I didn't even have to look so much. I knew who had told him. _Peter_. Stupid little rat. I bet he did so he could get some gold. "I thought you knew the rules, Potter. We don't have a lot of food so you can just go there and stole it while your friends starve." I stood quiet. "You know the rules, Potter?"

"Yes, Captain." I replied.

"And you broke them. Why?"

I found her green eyes in the crowd. Oh, great. _Now_ she was out of her cell. She looked concerned.

"I… I was hungry." I replied. Some people laughed. Captain furrowed his eyebrows to me. "Well, what do you expected? When we're hungry, we eat." They laughed again. I was pleasing the crowd. I smiled slyly. Captain snapped his finger, and two hands grabbed my arms. My eyes searched Lily and she looked terrified, but Remus was holding her, the gentlest way he could, which was a bit rude. I could feel a rope in my wrists. Oh no. Captain always said he would whip anyone who disobeyed the rules, but he never actually _did_ this. A man ripped my shirt, and Captain stood in front of me. He gave me a sick smile.

"You'll learn some respect, Potter. This ship is_ mine_. I doesn't matter how long you have been here, I was longer. You have_ no rights_ to break the rules, and you should thank me that I'm throwing you at the sea." I bit my tongue, and moved my hands in the rope. Oh, he should thank that my hands aren't free. I keep my face straight, with a respectful expression, even though I was boiling up with anger. I stared at Peter and he cringed. I was going to _kill_ him. I looked at Sirius, who wasn't looking at me. He was too busy watching Peter carefully, playing with a knife in his hand.

Silence. The crew was silent. Captain was silent. The man who was probably holding the whip behind me was silent. Waiting. Before I even realized what the sound of the whip cutting the air meant, the pain filled up my body. I bit my lips harder. I wouldn't scream. I wouldn't give him this pleasure. I closed my eyes, waiting for the next. Another one. Pain. Burn. Humiliation. Captain's laughter. Another one. I may have screamed. Did I scream? I feel the blood running through my back. I feel the warm taste of blood in my mouth. Blood. Blood everywhere. My hands are burning. My back is burning. I gritted my teeth, and tried to stand on my feet. Another lash. I screamed, and supported my head on the wooden post. I closed my eyes and tried to regain control of my body. Pain. So much pain. I looked at the Captain. He wanted me to beg. He wanted me to beg him to stop. I almost laughed with the idea of it. _James Potter does not beg_. If it was a question about testing limits, then I was going to die in this wooden post. But unfortunately, or fortunately, someone decided that it was enough.

"He stole the food for me!" she said, releasing herself from Remus' grip. She took a step forward, her red hair falling on her shoulders, her head held high, and her eyes with such a fierce look that would made me cringe. "I should be there in that wooden post, not him."

"Oh, sweetheart…" started Captain.

"_Don't_ call me sweetheart. He was being a gentleman, you can't punish him for this."

"I am sorry, I thought I was the Captain of this ship."

"Well, maybe the ship needs a new Captain." She replied. "Let him go." She said, forcefully.

"I am in command, not you."

"I said, _let. Him. Go." _She stared at him. Captain stared at her. "If you don't let him go _now_, the second I put my feet at my home, I'll make sure father will hunt you down and put your head on a stick."

Captain slowly moved away from her.

"Paul, let him go." Paul cut the rope, and I felt on my knees. I tasted the blood on my mouth and looked at my wrists, which were also bleeding. I didn't want to think how my back looked like. Lily went by my side and helped me stand up. Sirius helped me to walk, and suddenly, we were downstairs, and I was lying in my bed. I closed my eyes, and everything went black.

* * *

I blinked once or twice. I was still on my bed. My back didn't hurt so much. Someone was besides me.

"Mum?" I asked, blinking again. Someone gave a irritated sigh.

"I'm not your mum, Potter." She replied.

"Lily!" I remembered. Lily saved me. Lily risked herself for me. Lily fucking Evans _risked_ herself for the guy that she 'hates'. I let out a laugh.

"Did the whipping damage his brain?" she asked in a concern tone.

"I don't think that's possible." Replied Remus.

"His brain already_ was_ damaged, you see." Said Sirius. She chuckled a bit. I stopped laughing.

"What's so funny, Potter?"

"You hate me!"

"Congratulations, you're right." She said, a small smile showing up on her face.

"But you risked your life for me!"

"I wasn't risking my life…"

"Why?"

"I was not risking my life for you, Potter."

"But why?"

"Stop asking that!"

"Why?"

"I couldn't stand seeing you being whipped because of me!" she replied, with tears in her eyes. "It was _my_ fault, if only I had eaten the stupid food in the right time, you wouldn't have to steal it and you… I just… I'm sorry!"

I blinked. I wasn't used to girls doing this. I mean, I mean, _crying_. Why do they do that for? I'm sure it's some weapon of them. The last time I saw _this_ happen was when I made Katherine cry, and believe me, it wasn't pretty.

"Oh. Ok." I replied.

"For god sakes, Prongs." Said Sirius, hugging her. Oh, well. Padfoot could deal with anything that involves the female part of the population. Including tears. He patted her back a few times and whispered smooth words into her ears, and ten minutes after this, she had stopped crying.

"How…" I started, and Sirius gave me the charming smile he wears with girls.

"Magic, Prongs, magic."

* * *

It was already night time. Lily was changing the bandages on my back. Her hands were soft, the opposite of mine, which were raw for years of hard work.

"Just because I saved your life, it doesn't mean that I don't hate you."

"If you say so…"

We spend some time in silence. She changed my bandages, I watched her doing so.

"You're weird, Lily." She stared at me. "Alright, _Evans_. But you're still weird."

"Ok. Next time, I'll let you die on the post."

"Thank you." She smiled at me.

"I'm going to sleep." She got up. "Try to keep yourself out of trouble." And left.

"Don't promise anything!" I screamed.


	9. Remus II

I took a deep breath, looking at the sea again. I've spend a long time looking at the sea since Captain informed that we were going to France. Not in that direction. I was looking at the north. I was pretending we weren't going in that direction. I was pretending we weren't going to my hometown. I wish I could run and hide, like I used to do when I was a little kid, run deep into the woods and return in the next morning, when the urge to kill was long gone, when everything was peaceful inside my head once again. I couldn't run and hide here. But I could pretend. Pretend that this was just another stupid town. Not the town that I was born and raised. Not the streets that I walked by so many times that I could close my eyes and don't get lost. Not the people I was so used to see every day, not the houses I used to climb on the roofs, not the fair that I used to go, with one or two coins, to buy some food. Not the woods that I used to play in. Not the place where I spend my whole childhood. I feel movement around me. We've arrived. I stay looking at the ocean, but the ship isn't moving anymore. I look up to the sky, and the full moon shines powerfully, mocking me.

"C'mon, Moony." Said Sirius punching my arm. "It's time."

"Is James coming?" I asked. It's been one week since the whipping, and Captain made him work it's been three days. Captain put him in the rowing, which made his bruises open up and bleed again. He would smile and tell Evans that this was a good thing; she wouldn't scream at him when he was like that. But when the sun was down, and Evans was in her room, I could hear him moaning in pain.

"Yes, Captain wouldn't let him have a night with Evans, would he?" he grinned. "I need to get some big money. We're going to that island after this town."

"Like you would need money to sleep with some girls."

"The whores are my favorites." He said, grinned once again, and left. I rolled my eyes at him. He was born in the streets, on a little city on Wales. His parents died when he was little, and he didn't have anyone to look out for him. He raised himself. He constantly says that he had never had a friend before coming into this ship. He was a loyal friend. We are all loyal our first friend.

I step on the harbor. The town was asleep. They had recovered from the last pirate attack. There were some guards, sleeping. I could see the bakery, the butchery, the house of that little girl who seemed to freeze every time she saw me. The crew was silent, waiting for the command. They weren't pleased. They don't like this. They like screams. They like despair. They like people running, women screaming and kids crying. They like violence. They wanted to wake the town.

"Now." Captain said. At the herd burst. They screamed and ran, knocking doors down, breaking windows, assaulting. James ran and turned into a corner, and I was pretty sure he stopped running there. Sirius entered the bakery and I heard the woman's scream. Peter stayed on the ship; he ran and hid like I wanted to do so much. Sirius and I made him pee in his pants in the day that James was whipped. Coward. James is now calling him _that rat_. Which suits him completely. Wouldn't help anyone if it didn't help himself. Katherine followed Sirius into the bakery, and I just stood there, watching the mess. I saw men I once knew dying in the hands of my friends. I saw children who ran away from me running away from my friends. I saw the houses, the shops that once I was in burning into disgrace.

"You haven't proved your loyalty yet, Lupin. I didn't ask you to come here and just stay still. You know what happens when someone returns the ship with empty hands." He smiled. He was sick. He was urging to torture everyone in this ship. I looked inside his eyes. He showed no fear. He was pleased, pleased to be causing pain to so many people.

"Yes, Captain. I do know." I walked away from him, and entered the town. I went through the main avenue, and turned in the third corner, following down a little street that kids used to play all day long, laughing. Their laughter was now screams and cries. And then, I found it. A little road of mud, which everyone avoids it, because in the end of it there was the house of the old crazy man. No one in the crew worried about it. Someone pushed me to get out of way. There was a candle inside the house; I could see the light through the window. I took a step forward. What was him going to say? Was him going to be proud? I snorted at the thought. Who was going to be proud a me? I'm a pirate. I'm a monster. I'm a murderer. He was going to be ashamed that the boy he raised was all the horrible things in the world. I would disgust him. I stopped walking. I've gone to that road thousands of time, but I've never been so terrified of getting there and knocking on the door. Before I even notice, I was standing in the front of the same old door. It was of a dark wood, and I kindly caressed it. It felt like childhood. I grabbed the doorknob and opened it, entering the room. It was the same. The couch was in the same place as usual, and in the end of the room was the table with thousands of papers and books, with ingredients for potions, and potions already made. The candle was there. I could see the kitchen from here, and also the two doors who lead to the rooms.

"Long time no see, Remus." That old voice said.

"Professor!" I said, taking a few steps behind. He wasn't supposed to be here. He wasn't supposed to see me here, the child he accepted and raised, who now was the ungrateful man who ran away. But it was full moon night, and he knew better than to leave home at a full moon night after what happened.

"You're a grown man now, Remus, there's no need to call me professor."

"But, Professor…" He chuckled a bit. I could see why people thought he was insane. With his long grey beard, and his calm face, it didn't matter which situation he was in, he was always calm. His colorful robes were part of his fame, since no other man used it. But you can't think Dumbledore is insane if you look into his eyes. Dumbledore has deep blue eyes, so deep that it looked like he was staring into your soul, and for what I know about him, he was. He looked at you in a way that told that everything was going to be fine, and that you could trust him. "I… I ran." I whispered, like a child who is confessing that did something wrong.

"You did." He agreed. "But why?"

"You wouldn't accept me after I did." Murderer. Dumbledore would never accept a murderer in his house. "I've found my place."

"Along with the sinners, the killers and the rapists. Along with the pirates."

"Yes. Along with the pirates." I nodded.

"You ran away." He pointed out.

"I was scared." I said in my defense. "I had become the thing that you despise the most. I had become a killer."

The shock crossed his blue eyes from two seconds, but then, his calm expression was back.

"You didn't have to run away, Remus."

"I've found a home now, Professor. I'm a pirate."

He nodded.

"Pirates aren't only killers. They are free souls. They belong to the sea, and the sea only."

"I'm not a free soul. I'm cursed." I said. "I'll always be cursed, I'm a monster!"

"You're not a monster, Remus. He lives inside you. He's a part of you, a part that you can control."

"I'm the monster! I killed those people!"

"We all have monsters and demons inside of us, Remus."

"No one has it stronger than I."

And then I notice. Silence. The town was in silence. The assault was over. Oh, dear Lord, the assault was freaking over and I haven't got even a coin. Dumbledore seemed to notice the reason of my silence and handed me a bag.

"What? No! No, I won't accept this."

"I understand that you've found your place, Remus. Someday the birds have to fly from their nest. But I don't want you drowning somewhere just because you decided to come and say goodbye." I looked at the bag of my hand. It was heavy, full of gold, I suppose.

"I can't accept all your money, Professor." I said.

"Oh, I'm an old man, Remus. I don't have the slightest idea of what I could do with all this. You would enjoy this so much more that I would."

I hesitated for a while.

"You better go, you don't want to lose your ship." I nodded.

"Goodbye, Professor. And thank you. For… For everything."

He smiled, his blue eyes flickering.

"Goodbye, Remus."

* * *

I climbed into the ship, determined to not look back at my town in ruins. They burned everything, they killed so much, and they ruined so many lives. And they didn't care. It was a good assault. I would be celebrating with them if it wasn't my home town in ruins right now. I handed half of my gold to the Captain, and he seemed a little disappointed that I actually had got something. I went to my bed and hid the bag under the pillow, and after that, I returned to the party. I sat away from everyone, looking at the sea. Not to the city on fire, but to the calm water, that seemed so peaceful. We're pirates. We belong to the water, and not to the fire. Fire ruins everything, water fixes it.

"Hello." A female voice said. I looked at her. Lily. James' girl. Of course I wouldn't dare call her that in front of her, since she still insist on saying that she hates him. Her red hair was a bit dirty, but still beautiful. She had a few freckles and when she smiled her face formed dimples. Her green eyes didn't look so scared anymore. She seemed happy to be here, after all. She was wearing an old dress, from Katherine's mother, I would guess. She still don't want wear "men clothes", like she calls it.

"Hi."

"James told me that was your town."

"It was. A few time ago, but it looks like years."

"I'm… I'm really sorry. It must be hard for you. Watch your childhood home burn."

"Nah." I lied. "It's not your fault anyway. What it's done, it's done. You just have to deal with it, and carry on with your life."

She nodded, smiling a bit.

"Yes. Carry on seems to be a nice idea. Especially when you're here."

"Along with the pirates."

"Yes." she smiled a true smile. "Along with the pirates."


	10. Lily IV

Sorry for the late, but as I said in the later chapter, Doctor Who became an obssesion, but now I've finished! I only have one week left of winter break, so in a two weeks time I won't be updating so much, but I won't stop. And I'm thinking of doing an doctorwho!Jily fic, what do you think? (:

sorry for the short chapter too. My mom is planning a party, and of course, i have to help her. So, here's the chapter!

* * *

So _this_ it was what happy pirates looked like. Sometimes I wish I was in the safety of my basement cell. They were scarier angry, I would guess, but for gods sakes, I haven't see them like this, and I hope I wouldn't. They were drunk, of course. Pirates gave me the impression that a nice bottle of rum can resolve every problem in the world. Hunger? Drink a bottle. Sorrow? Drink a bottle. Anger? Drink a bottle. Lost your head? Here, have a freaking bottle. Of course, they were celebrating. Even the real men from my town drink when they want to celebrate something. But of course, they don't act like animals. The crew was screaming at each other, laughing extremely loud and singing dirty songs. And of course, betting all the gold they have just got. Lupin has been extremely moody since they've went to that little town on France. In the next town, James said he acted like a massive murderer. He had got here with so much gold that even I couldn't believe. And know he just sits alone in a corner, polishing his sword carefully, not talking to anyone and ignoring you when you get close to him. Black was somewhere away from the party, and so was Katherine. Pettigrew was trying to get some new friends. Since he betrayed Potter, Lupin and Black got mad and whenever he is near them they look like they would kill him right there. So of course, he doesn't go near them anymore. Smart boy.

And Potter was there. Sitting away from the crew, looking at the sky full of stars and with a bottle of rum on his hand. He looked at me, and grinned. He patted the barrel beside him and raised an eyebrow. I could pretend I didn't see it. But of course I've had. But still, I could pretend and go to my room and just there the rest of the night. Away from the pirates. Away from him. That would be a nice night. But I couldn't. I was a lady, and a lady is never impolite. So I went and I sat beside him.

"Hello, sweetheart."

"Don't call me sweetheart." He chuckled.

"One day," He said, smiling at me, conceited. "You're going to give in."

"I doubt it."

"Better not, sweetheart."

"I said don't call me that!"

"Why not? It's a nickname."

"We aren't friends or lovers so we can't have nicknames!"

"You got a nickname for me." He said.

"What? No, I don't!"

"Yes, you do. It's toerag." I let a giggle.

"Nice one." I said, smiling at him. "But still, don't call me sweetheart."

"Alright, alright. Lily?"

"Evans." I replied.

"Evans? Oh, please, we've crossed that point." He said.

"No, we haven't, Potter."

"I saved you!"

"You kidnapped me!"

"You're seeing it from a different point of view. I saved you from your bored life. Now you have stories to tell your grandchildren!" I laughed, and he smiled triumphantly.

"You're such a dork."

We stayed silent from some time. I looked at the sky, seeing all the stars that I used to see from my room. They always seemed limited from there. Limited by my window, limited by the roof of the other houses. Here they were free. Everywhere I looked I could see the stars, all the stars, I felt like flying. They were so tiny from here; they filled the whole sky, like some big family. They completed each other, making pictures.

"One day," he said, taking me out of my thoughts. "I'm going to get to the moon."

"That's impossible." I said.

"I bet two weeks ago you would think it was impossible to be on a pirate ship."

"Touché." I replied. "You'll have to take me to the moon with me."

"I don't think we have crossed that point yet."

"Toerag." He laughed, and took a gulp of rum.

"Want some?"

"I don't drink!" I said indignant.

"Why not?"

"It's not what ladies do."

He laughed. Oh, God, he laughed really hard.

"You're saying that you never had a drink? Ever? In your whole life."

"Yes!" He shook his head, like I was some kind of hopeless.

"That's absurd! Here, have a bottle." He said, handing me it.

"No! Potter, I won't drink it. I shouldn't."

"Why not? Rules from home? You're not home, sweetheart. And I promise I won't tell your dad."

"If you ever get near him, he'll cut your head off."

"I don't doubt it. Anyway, here, drink it."

"No!" I said. He was such a stubborn man. Most men grow out of it when they get older, but apparently, Potter wasn't like most men.

"You're afraid!" he stated.

"I'm not afraid of anything." I said, angry.

"So prove it. Have a drink."

I stared at him. He didn't look away. He was playing with me. Making me drink just to prove I'm right.

"I don't have to prove anything to people like you!" I said.

"Alright, Evans. So you're scared."

"I'm not fucking scared!" I practically screamed.

"Wait, wait! Lily Evans swearing? What have we done to you, sweetheart?"

"Stop it."

"Then drink it."

"No, stop it!"

He laughed.

"Oh dear lord, just a few more days and you're becoming a pirate. _Swearing_. You! You're like a delicate flower. You're right, you would never manage to drink some rum, and you're so tiny and…"

That's it. Enough. I grabbed the bottle from his hands forcefully and got a big gulp. I wasn't expecting the burning on my throat, but it definitely felt good. It felt _amazing_, truth be told. It didn't just feel like rum. It felt like freedom. Breaking bounds, breaking free.

"I knew you would like it."

"It… It burns." I said. I wasn't going to admit that he was right, of course. That's _unthinkable_.

"But you liked it. I could see on your face. You _loved_ it."

"Kind of." I mumbled.

"Alright… C'mon, you've just won the right to see the stars."

"I'm seeing them."

"Oh, no, to really, _really_, see them. You're going to be so close to them that you'll feel that you can touch them. I promise, you, it will be amazing."

"Oh my god!" I said, breathless. "Oh my god, we're going to fall."

We were in the topsail. We were in the highest point on the whole ship.

"We're going to die." I moaned.

"Of course not. Come here." He said, sitting. He looked completed calm, like he was ignoring the fact that we were really, _really _high. "Don't tell me you're afraid of heights too."

"I'm not." I said, getting on my feet slowly. "I'm completely fine. I'm not afraid of anything. I'm an Evans."

"And I'm a Potter, nice to meet you. Come here, I won't let you fall." He said, opening his arms, offering a hug.

"No way." I said, sitting again. "No freaking way."

"Ok. Then fall." The ship balanced a little, and I shamefully admit that I let out a tiny scream. He smiled mockingly.

"I hate you." I said, sitting beside him. He hugged me carefully, like I would scream at him if he did an inappropriate movement. I probably would.

"Sure you do." He replied. "Now look at the stars."

I looked up. It was a million times more beautiful then down there. There were stars _everywhere_. Up, down, left and right. I smiled, wonderstruck. I was wrong. Here, and only here, they were completely free. Like I was. I could never swear at home. I could never drink at home. I could never be so near of a man without second intentions. I could never feel this way.

"You know, we're going to a town to spend the money. Captain is buying food and water, but we, I mean, the crew, is going to spend it wherever they want. You could come with me."

"Is this a date?"

He chuckled.

"It's the nearest you can get of it here."

"Well, this ship is getting a bit boring…" I said. "So yes, I'm going with you. But please, no whores."

"Sirius is the man for whores."

"What do you do in the cities? I mean, when you're not busy kidnapping innocent girls."

"Oh well…" He made a face like he was trying to think. "I drink."

"You drink. That's all?"

"Yes."

"Oh, right. You _drink_. That's really different from what you do here."

"Well… There was this time, when I didn't drink."

"What did you do?"

"An old woman was telling stories to the little kids. It was at daylight, so the kids were in the streets. Sirius, Remus and Peter were already gone, having their so-called day off. I was going to the pub, of course. But I never had a woman, or a mom, to tell me fairytales when I was a little boy. The kids seemed so… so focused on her, on her voice, on her expressions, her hands. I just… stood there. Listened to her stories. I've never had a true childhood. The stories I used to hear were about assaulted towns and wars won. Not about princess in distress and princes saving them. "

"That's nice." I said, laying my head on his shoulder, blinking. "It's been a long time since I've heard fairytales. My father used to say I was too big for them after I turned eight."

"You were still a child."

"He's a bit too serious. Always puts duty in front of everything."

"Duty sucks." He said, sounding like a small child.

"Yes." I agreed. "Duty sucks."

The stars were so bright, and I smiled sleepily.

"I think it's time to go to bed." He said.

"Let's stay here…"

"I can't. It's not my ship, I can't just go wherever I want."

"You mean that you're going to get yourself in trouble?"

"Probably."

"Potter!" I said, getting on my feet again, and moaning when I remembered how high we were.

"Alright, alright, let's go." He said, getting up and helping me to get down again. I felt amazing to have my feet back on the floor, but it felt extremely sad and empty without all the stars surrounding us. The crew was already asleep.

"Goodnight, toerag." I said, smiling slightly at him.

"Goodnight, sweetheart."


	11. James III

Her face lightened up the moment she stepped on the ground. Her hair was messy, and she was a bit skinner, but her face was the happiest I've ever seen her. I cracked a smile at her, and she got a grip on my arm, taking her shoes.

"Is this Paris?" she asked.

"No, this is…Oh, well; I don't know where we are. But I assure you it's not Paris."

"I want to go to Paris, Mr. Potter."

"You're the rich one, miss Evans."

She pouted at me, and I grinned at her. Her skin wasn't so pale anymore, since the Captain let her out of the basement, her red hair wasn't as bright as it was the night I met her, but it was still beautiful. She seemed a completely different person from the girl I met few months ago. She was happier. She wasn't wearing her usual clothes anymore. Katherine borrowed her some.

"Well, not anymore I suppose."

"I suppose." I agreed, casually walking besides her. We were in the main street. I could see Remus having a drink in the pub with some of the crews, and Sirius quickly brushing off Katherine's company. Pettigrew was trying to get Remus to pay any attention to him. Lily kept walking, and I was a bit surprised she didn't run away. We were in France, of course, but she had some chance of getting a ship back to England. I snapped a lily from the flower stand, when the owner was too busy selling flowers to a father and his little girl. "A lily for a Lily." I said, bowing and handing her the flower.

"That's so old." She laughed, but accepted the lily anyway, putting it in her hair.

We walked a long time in silence. She seemed calm and relaxed, probably happy to have her feet in the ground after so long. The ground felt weird for me. I was used to looking around and seeing the sea and to the constant balance of the ship. I felt trapped, surrounded by all the buildings and walls. I don't think I would ever give up the pirate life, I wouldn't be able to handle living in a town or a village. I would miss the sound of the waves crashing on the side of the ship, and the salty taste and smell of the sea, and the movement. I would never stop and neither would the ocean.

"Where can you get some water here?" She asked, suddenly.

"What? Oh." I looked around for a bit, and soon found a fountain. "There, probably."

"Can you fetch me some? My feet are hurting." She said, sitting down. I frowned. "Pretty please." She asked, pouting twice in the same day.

"Don't pout at me" I warned. "you know I can't resist. Stay here." I walked away from her, looking back a few times. She stood there, looking around distractedly. Her feet hanged a few centimeters from the floor, and she was using her hands to support herself in the wall. I got to the fountain, and got my water bottle of my pocket, filling it. I haven't even notice it was empty. There was a couple holding hands and playing with the water with the other, smiling at each other foolishly. There also were three kids running around and screaming, probably playing something. I shook my head and turned away from them, walking slowly back to the wall where she was. Half way through it I noticed something wrong. _She wasn't there_.

Fuck. That's all I could possibly think. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I looked around, and stopped a red hair running through the sea of people.

"Oh, no, you don't." I whispered, and started running after her. I was so stupid. She wasn't changing. People like her don't change. They like their lives the way they are, and who in the world would trade a life like the one she had, with money, power and lust, for a life in the sea? She was just a spoiled little brat, and I just wished I had realized that before. Captain would kill me. He would fucking murder me and then throw me at the sea. I shivered at the thought of the bite of the whip in my back again. She turned in a corner and after I stumbled through a few people, I followed.

"Where is she?" I asked, getting a grip of an old man sitting there.

"Who?!" he asked, talking slowly and dizzy.

"A ginger girl. Just turned around the corner."

"Oh, I don't know, maybe a few coins would help me to remember…" I pushed him against the wall, getting a knife out of my jacket.

"Don't play games with me, champs." I said, holding it next to his neck. "I'm not in the mood. But let's make another deal, shall we?" I asked, pressing the knife a little bit stronger. He gasped a yes the quickest he could. "An answer for your life."

"She entered this door." He replied, desesperate, pointing at the door besides him. I released him, watching as the blood slipped out from the tiny cut I made. The man looked like he peed himself. I walked inside the place, and suddenly stopped. It was a familiar place. I've never been here, of course, but it looked familiar. A few tables, someone singing dirty songs, female giggles, some moaning… Oh, of course. She had entered a whorehouse. I could Sirius in a corner, making out with a blonde girl. I made a face at it.

"Get off me!" I heard Lily's voice coming from upstairs. I rushed upstairs, ignoring the pimp's yell of anger.

"Lily?!" I asked, loudly. Most of the door where closed, and I didn't have any interest of what was happening inside of room.

"Get your dirty hands off me!" She screamed once more, and I ran to the bedroom where the sound came out. I didn't even think of getting my sword, my first reaction was pulling the man who was on top of her and punching him on the face. And then it started. He tried to punch me back, but he was too drunk to do something correctly, and I punched him again. His nose crashed with the contact of my fist, but I keep going. His eyes. His chin. His whole face. Until he got a punch right, and I wasn't expecting. I rolled, and my view blacked a little. He got in top of me and punched me in the stomach. I gasped without air, but recovered and kick him in his knee.

"If you want the little bitch just wait a bit, I would take long." He said, probably to get me pissed. I wasn't supposed to do this. I could let him have what he wants, and then she would learn to not run away anymore. She would learn to obey. But before I knew it, rage filled my whole body, and I started punching him again. Punch him hard. I don't know how it happened, but after a few punches I threw, Lily was pulling me.

"James, stop! Stop!" I looked at her, and I noticed the fear in her wide eyes. She held my face gently. "Stop. You're going to kill him."

"He was going to hurt you." I whispered. And I noticed, it was all about it. I don't want her hurt. Oh, screw it. I don't want her sad. I just want her smiling and being happy, and most of all, I want her smiling and happy on the ship, not at her home.

"He was." She agreed. "But now he won't. You saved me."

"You ran." I said, quietly.

"I did. I'm sorry, I really am."

"You _ran_." I repeated, a bit stronger. And I suddenly woke up. How dare she? I was doing everything to keep her comfortable and happy, and in the first opportunity she has she goes and left. She took a step back, noticing the change in my mood. "I should've left he had you. Would you like that?"

"James, I told you I'm so-"She began, looking a bit hurt.

"You're not sorry! You're sorry you entered the wrong door and got caught. You were going to run away and leave, weren't you?" _Run away and leave me_.

"I just want to go home." She mumbled, her green eyes filled with tears, but she blinked a few times and they disappeared.

"Well, you're not going to. You're not going home until your father pays it, and guess what? You're not important to him. You're just a lost little girl far away from home, and you're never coming back so you better get used to it!" _Why would you want to go home? You were unhappy before. You're better now. It's a better life. "_I wanted to make things easy for you, Evans, but I guess I was just wasting my time. You're just like the others."

"Bad day?" Asked Padfoot, standing besides of me. It was already night, probably around 2am. Lily was locked up in the basement, and I held a bottle of rum in my hand, staring at the ocean.

"Bad day." I agreed. "I hate going to the town."

"Well on this, my friend, I disagree." I snorted, rolling my eyes at him. "I saw that the Evans girl decided to go downstairs today."

"I suppose she'll be there until the end of her journey."

"You can't possibly think her father will pay rescue." Sirius said, smirking at me. "She may be important to you, but she's not so important to her father."

"She's not important to me."

"Oh, James, don't try to trick me. It reminds me of that girl a few years ago."

"Don't." I warned.

"I thought you were into blondes."

"She's dead." I said. "Rose's dead. She's gone." I said, bitterly.

"Well, you know who killed her."

"Captain hates me." I said, and Padfoot agreed. "He would do anything to see me suffer. Even kill a precious prize."

"Well, lucky to us, Lily isn't precious."

We stood there a bit more, sharing a bottle and a comfortable silence. The moon didn't exist, so we were in the dark, but we could hear the ocean. That's another thing I liked about it. It never leaves you. The ocean was a woman, its waves being a loving mother arms, its noise a reassuring lullaby.

"Hey." Said Sirius, after an hour.

"What?" I asked, not looking at him.

"Moony heard some rumors."

"What about?" I turned to him, interested.

"Mermaids." He smiled, and I snorted.

"Mermaids don't exist."

"Of course they do. And he already told Captain. We're going after them."

"Well, if they did exist, why would we want one for?"

"To sell, of course. Anything can be traded. And there are a lot of men in Manerts who would like to buy one for a pet. Can you imagine? Having a mermaid!"

"You wouldn't like it. You can't have sex with one."

Oh well, I just suppose I'm the worst writer in the whole world but I am backkk! Will anyone ever forgive me omg. Anyway, here it is. I'm on summer break now, and I promise promise promise that I'll really really really try to write more for this, I just couldn't let this story go. So, here it is. Sorry again. Thank you SO much for keep adding it as favorite and in your story alert, and please review. I am a needy writer, I need opinions. Have I mentioned I'm sorry?


	12. Katherine

Chapter 12 - Katherine (France)  
It certainly felt like a nice day. It was supposed to be one. I got out of my room in the morning, said hello to a few people there and smiled politely at them, even though they weren't so polite in return. Some of them replied, but to ask for a smile was way too much.  
"Black!" I called, when I say him standing lazily in the corner, far away from the Captain. I walked towards him and smiled. "Hello." He looked stunning, as usual. His lips forever locked into a sly grin, his hair fallen on his shoulder, and his eyes lighten up with mischief.  
"Hey there." He replied, arching an eyebrow.  
"Are you going to the town?"  
"When don't I?" He asked, sardonic.  
"Well… I mean..." I started, nervously. We've been seeing each other basically every three days. "I wondered if... If you were going alone."  
"Oh, well of course I am. I always get a company there, if you know what I mean..."  
"Oh." I replied, quietly. "I just thought..."  
Realization showed up on his face, as his eyes widen a bit and he gasped slightly.  
"Katherine, we're not a couple." He said, suddenly serious. "I don't do that."  
"We've been fooling around for months! Since you got here. May I remind you that I saved you?"  
"I didn't ask for that. Well, I was lonely and you were heart-broken. We both needed someone." He said, matter-of-factly. I blinked at him. What the hell did he mean?  
"I wasn't heart-broken!"  
"Oh, please." He said, suppressing a snort. "James told me. How you went crawling after him, asking for a relationship."  
"I just thought you were diff..." I said again.  
"Well, you thought wrong. I'm not. I don't do feelings."  
"Everybody does feelings." I whispered at him, angrily.  
"That's why everybody's weak."  
"Why are you talking to me like this?" I asked, resentful. I just wanted some company at the town.  
"We never talked before!" He whispered loudly to me. "You're just... sex!" I took a step back, looking at him in disbelief.  
_"I don't like you that way, Katherine. I don't. We're just... Something casual." James said, looking guilty at me. Casual. And by that he means sneaking into my bedroom in the middle of the night for sex. Completely casual. His eyes were hidden in the shadows, and so was half of his face.  
"You said I was special." I whispered weakly.  
"I was drunk, never believe what I say when I'm drunk." He said, joking. I stared deeply at him. He stared back, looking a bit ashamed. James sighed, resentful. "I suppose..." He said, quietly. This isn't working anymore."  
"Don't be thick! It is working! We're great together." I replied.  
"You want more." James said. I took a step towards him, frowning my eyebrows.  
"What does that mean?" I asked looking at him confused.  
"It means I can't give you what you want. I think… I think we should stop."  
"I don't want to stop, James."  
"You want a relationship." He said, calmly. Why was he so calm?  
"We have a rela-"  
"A _real _relationship, Katherine."  
"Is this about the new girl? She's a daddy's little girl." I exclaimed. Rose was her name. She had blonde hair that shined in the sun and a foolish smile like she was enjoying everything around her. I saw her flirting with James in her first day here.  
"What? No! And even if it was, we agreed. We're not exclusive. See, that's the problem. That's what you want. I don't do exclusivity. I don't do dates. I don't do flowers."  
"This is not what I want!" I heard the high pitch of my voice disagreeing. "I want you."_  
I've always wanted him. Since we were little kids, playing soldiers and running around the ship, stealing apples from shops at the town and feeling like heroes for not getting caught. When I was younger, I wouldn't properly understand. He was who he was. A brother. A friend. The boy who was always there with me, surrounded by that terrifying men. And then we grew. Learned what were passion and a kiss. And what was love and what "make love" meant. And slowly, I found myself caught in a web. I had fallen in love. He had fallen into lust. And after sometime, the lust goes away. And the love stays. At first I was mad at him. I remember myself thinking: How dare he? I couldn't even stand next to him for months. After six months, I was, as you can say, "over" James Potter. I would still get butterflies in my belly whenever he was around and smile at everything he says. And then... He got here. "Black." Smith told me that night when I asked who was that new kid at the basement. "Followed us here. Want to be a pirate, he says."  
I was the first one to get him food. I was curious. We really don't have much of new people here. Well, we do have those silly little girls, but that isn't really a new thing. I remember the wood complaining about my weight when I went down the stairs, as it does for everyone. I remember the stink of the basement, and I remember the waves crashing slightly in the side of the ship. It was a calm day. I licked my lips, preparing myself to speak.  
"I thought having a woman aboard brought bad luck." It was the very first thing he said to me. We grew closer and closer each day. And I don't when or how, but I found myself trapped in the same kind of relationship I had with James. And here we were, in the same situation I was all that time ago. I blinked a few times, bringing myself back to present.

"Yes. Just sex. Exactly, I don't know why I thought otherwise." I said, turning my back at him and leaving. I should be used to it by now. They didn't like hearts and flowers. They weren't made for it. And neither was I. I just had to learn to live with it. I wasn't like Rose, or Lily, or any of those girls who lived in the town in big houses and thousands of boys falling at their feet. I was a pirate. I would not be getting a happy ending.

I got out of the ship, and walked through the streets of the town. I could see all the familiar faces around it, and faces I've never seen before. I spotted James in the middle of the crowd and my face slipped up in a smile. I didn't want to be alone, and it wasn't going to be a date. We're friends. And he was probably the one who wasn't in a whorehouse, so I suppose we would be alright. I walked in his direction when I saw a redhead near him. A redhead laughing with him. A redhead he was looking wonderstruck. I stopped dead in the middle of the way. _I don't do dates_. No, of course you don't. Why would you go on a date with me? I'm not the kind of girl you like. I turned into a corner to move away from them but it stopped into nothing. I sighed and put my back on the wall, closing my eyes. I don't even like being in the town. I never had fun in these places. I should've stayed home. I slowly sat on the floor.

"Kath?" Asked a familiar voice. I groaned and opened my eyes. Remus was looking at me, worry filling his eyes. "You shouldn't be alone. Something could happen."

"I can take care of myself, Lupin." He raised his eyebrows to me. "Go back to your mates, they're probably having some drinks in a pub."

"Already been there. They started playing dices, and it's really not my thing."

"Why not?"

"Too many noise." He replied, moving his head slightly.

"Well, yes. They do scream a lot. But nothing you can endure."

"I have really good hearing." He said quietly, and grinned with the corner of his mouth, sharing a joke with himself.

"I suppose you do." I said, smiling politely. "How did you find me?"

"I was going back to the ship. Then I saw you here, all alone. Want to go for a walk?"

"Oh, well." I said, getting up. "It wouldn't hurt, would it?"

"Now you're talking!"

We walked for some time, and the wind played with our hairs. Suddenly, I kept walking but he had stopped.

"Lupin?" I called, a bit annoyed. He stood there, pale, and a bit scared. "Lupin! What is it?" He starting walking fast, and pass by me without giving me a second look, got to the wall and ripped a poster out of it. "What is it?" I asked, once I was standing beside him. He crushed the poster into his hands. "Give me that!" I said, getting it out of his hand. I straighten the paper up and read it. "A wanted poster?" He punched the wall in front of us, angrily. "Lupin!" He punched again. "Lupin, stop it. People are staring." I said between clenched teeth. I put my hands in his arms and nailed him. He looked at me, his eyes widen with fear and range, his breath swallow. "C'mon. You're a criminal. My father had thousands of those of him. It's France. We don't come here for a year, they'll soon forget it."

"What if they don't?" He asked, with a slow dangerous voice.

"They will. I'm sure. Let's go home before anyone notice." He got the poster from my hand and put it in his pockets.

"Yes. Let's go home." I took a step back, and started walking back to the ship. I could hear his steps following me.

"My hand is bleeding." He whispered midway.

"I'll take care of it when we get there."

We walked in silence for the rest of the path, but I listened closely to his breathing, which had calmed down after a few minutes. We went inside and I made him sit.

"Give me the poster." He stared at me, quietly. "Lupin, give me the poster." I said again, harshly. He reluctantly put his hand on his pocket and handed it to me. I ripped the paper into pieces and launched at the sea. "It's over now. They're not coming after you." He nodded, and looked over to the sea. I ripped a part of his sleeve, and he looked at me, raising an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?" He said.

"You told me your hand is bleeding." I got his hand, and carefully covered it with the fabric, making a not in the end. "That should keep you alive." He smiled at me, a whole mouth smile this time.

"I don't think I would make it without you." I smiled at him, and sat beside him, following his gaze to the sea.

"Why do I pick people who treat me like crap?" I asked, after some time.

"What?" He suddenly moved away from whatever he was thinking.

"I always pick the wrong guys. They just want… Casual sex." I explained.

"I suppose you picked men from the crew?" He asked. I nodded.

"But I don't know what it got to do with…"

"We don't know love. We're creatures from the underwold, Katherine. We rob, we violate, we torture, and we kill. We are not made for love. Who would ever love someone like me?" He finished, but realized his mistake. "Someone like us?"

"Our equals." I replied, quietly. "Our equals should be able to love someone like us."

"I don't have an equal." He whispered, more to himself than to me.

"We all do. We're all killers. Everyone in this ship did have or will have their face in a Wanted poster. We may not have come from the same place, but we sure did end up here. And we're all going to die."

"I suppose we're all just stories who will fade away with time."


	13. Lily V

I could hear the ocean crashing with its waves on the sides of the ship, and if I closed my eyes I could picture the sky above my head. I couldn't keep tracks of the days. It could be weeks. Or months. I've lost myself in the number of meals per day and there was no daylight so I could count the time going by. But it has been so long. James didn't come anymore. I've hurt him trying to run away. What could I even do? I wasn't born to live this life. It wasn't me. I used to complain about my old life. About the boring days. About the countless tea parties and social events I had to attend. But after being away for so long, I realized I missed it. My home, my bedroom. I missed waking up with a solid ground on my feet and fresh air without the salty taste in my mouth. I missed opening my window and looking to the street and people following with their lives. I missed going down the stairs, through the kitchen, and have a small talk with Eva, while she cooked a big breakfast for me and my father. I sighed, slightly disappointed. Was James right? Was I just a bother on my father's life? I was already 18, and wasn't married yet. Most of girls at my age had already settled down, raised a family. I was already arranged to someone, but a lot of men used to want to marry me, not for me, of course. Not because I make them laugh when they're upset. Or because they like my smile. They want me because of my last name and because of my father's status. The thought of what coming back home meant struck me. It meant getting married. I already had a fiancé. I shivered at the thought. I didn't even meet him properly. I would spend the rest of my life with a man whose smile I haven't seen, whose tears I haven't wiped, whose laugh I haven't provoked. I wasn't made for this. The pirates didn't have this issue, but they certainly didn't have love either. They all seemed the same. Caring about themselves and themselves only. Both worlds seemed so wrong. How could anyone live without love? The purest kind of love. When you love someone so much that your heart actually aches. When just the feeling of their skin against yours makes everything better. I wanted this kind of love. The "I would do anything to protect you" love. I didn't want anyone to love me for my name.  
"C'mon, don't be such a girl." I heard Black's voice near the entrance of the stairs. This was odd. He usually would bring me food, and we would talk a little. I would ask how the day was and he would reply with the weather; we would make some casual talk and as soon as I'm finished he would leave. But this time, he wasn't alone. Who was he talking to right now?  
"Sod off, Padfoot." An angry, but so familiar voice replied, and I heard the muffed sound of someone pushing another person. James was here. I got up from the corner of my cell, trying to get a better view of what was going on.  
"Oh, Prongs, you can mourn forever. The poor girl just wanted to go home, you know." Black pointed out.  
"Since when did you begin to support women's right?" James snapped. "Before or after that blond girl in the town?"  
"Oi! That was completely consensual!" The other defended himself. I heard James' snort. I shifted uncomfortably in my spot, trying to get a better view. "Whatever, Prongs. The point is, the Evans girl is down there."  
"Yes." James said, casually. "I know that."  
"You fancy her." This time, James laughed. But he was right to do so, though. I didn't fancy James. And he didn't fancy me. We were the complete opposite. He was a cruel, merciless pirate. I was a girl from the high class. If we did fancy each other, this would never work. He was from a different world. We didn't match. When I say blue, he says red. When I say up, he says down. When I say right, he says left. And of course, we had the tiny detail that he and his friends kidnapped me. I wasn't here because someone wanted me to be. I was here because they want the money that my father haven't give yet. I was a bother, one more mouth to feed.  
"I don't fancy her!" By the tone of his voice, he seemed to find the whole idea ridiculous. Good. That's good. That's the way it should be. "I took her to the town because she likes it and I thought it would be nice." He explained.  
"Last time you were nice with a town girl..."  
"Shut up." James said, his voice quiet and dangerous. "Evans tried to run away..."  
"Oh, don't be such a baby. It happened a month ago." A month! How much time had I spend far from home? Two months? Three? I would be married, maybe pregnant, if I was back home. I suddenly felt the need to sit down. I grasped one of the bars and stared at the dirty wood floor. A whole month in the darkness, locked up in this cell. Day after day, just sitting here, waiting for a friendly face to come down, or to someone tell me that my father had released me. My mind was a bit rebellious, not wanting to follow the track of thought that I wanted. I was tricking myself, since the first week. I never bother to put much thought on this, because I knew the truth and I just wanted to ignore it. Maybe if I ignored long enough it would be a lie. But it wasn't. All of this hope on my father I kept since the moment Potter opened the door of the wardrobe was stupid. He wouldn't save me. Yes, he had an agreement with my newly ex-husband-to-be, but I'm sure solving that would take less gold - and time - than rescuing me. He would let me grow old and die here, in this same cell. Or maybe after a year, they'll notice that it wasn't a smart play, and kill me. But I finally realized. My father didn't worry about me at all. He never truly did, I suppose. For him, I was just a piece in his power game. And I was always defying him, disobeying. He wanted to get rid of me, and he got so very happy with the marriage, and at first I thought it was because his little girl was finally getting married, but now I see it was because the moment I said "I do" my actions wouldn't be a bother to him anymore. It would be a bother to my husband. He would be free to play his little game alone, not bothering to take care of a teenager. But then I got kidnapped by pirates. He wouldn't get so much money, but it was a way of reassuring I would never come back home. He would cry from time to time, saying he misses his baby girl and he wish he could have done something to save her. And people will pity him. "Oh, poor Mr. Evans, already lost the wife, and now has to deal with the loss of his child." The baker would give him a few extra breads, for free. And the florist would offer him a white lily, to remember me. I would be mentioned in a few prayers on the church, but after a few time, I'll be forgotten. After a year or a few more, they'll know I existed, but I will be "The Mr. Evans' dead child" or "The pirate girl". Not Lily, never Lily. "Lily who?" They'll ask. The baker won't be giving free breads. And the florist won't offer a white lily anymore. I won't be mentioned on prayers. "Time is not gentle to anyone." My mother used to say. No, it's no. And the winds of time will take my memory away from the people from the town, and eventually, from my father. And that's when I realized that if I wanted to go home, I would have to do it by myself. But for what I would be going back to?

"She tried to run away. She wants to go home. She doesn't want a life at the sea, so she'll wait down here, until it's time for her to go home." I could hear James climbing up the stairs again, leaving Black alone. I could hear his steps going down again.

"Hello there, ginger." He said, grinning at me, handing me a plate with a suspicious food inside it.

"Hello." I replied, letting go of the bar. "How's the day?"

"A bit cloudy, to be honest." He answered, sitting down. "Have you heard?" I knew what he meant, but I wouldn't tell him.

"Of course I haven't. Locked up here. Heard what?"

"Don't trick me, ginger." Sirius said, eyeing me carefully.

"Yes. I heard." I admitted.

"You know, Prongs is a bit of a girl sometimes." I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Just because he has feelings…" I began, but Sirius cut me off.

"Oh, well, this way you offend me. I do have feelings, ginger."

"Stop calling me ginger."

"Can I call you pepper?"

"Pepper?" I asked, frowning. "Why the hell would call me pepper?"

"You get really red when you're angry." Black said, like it explained everything.

"If I say no, would it make a difference?"

"Of course not, Pepper."

"I think I need a nickname for you." I said, looking at him.

"I already have one. Padfoot."

"No, this one is rubbish."

"It is not!" he said, slightly offended. "I like Padfoot." He mumbled.

"I'm sure you do. That's why I won't be calling you that."

"You, Pepper, are a mean little girl." He said. "Won't you eat your food?"

"It certainly looks delicious." I said, and Black chuckled. "But I'm really not hungry."

"Well, you have to eat. I'm sorry, I'm not really fond of stealing food."

"I think you're just not really fond of pain."

"Maybe that too, but nobody needs to know that, do they?" He said, winking at me. "Now you eat."

"Oh, after _this_ I am definitely going to eat."

"Don't feel bad, Pepper." He said, while I began to eat. "No woman can resist my charm. I'm pretty sure men have a little trouble resisting it too." I laughed, choking a bit on the food.

"Sirius, you're an impossible man."

"I prefer perfect, but that would do too." I finished my meal quietly, wondering which one was it.

"Is it morning now?" I asked, while he put a hand in his pocket and extracted a bottle from it.

"No, afternoon." He replied, opening the bottle with one hand and handing it to me. I drank, grimacing at the burning feel in my throat, and handed the bottle back at him. He drank a bigger gulp than me, and smiled casually closing the bottle and putting it pack in its place. I suppose, after all, Sirius Black wasn't a bad person. He could become a good friend eventually. He would do bad things, of course. But we all do. The men from nobility did terrible things too. In the end, the nobles also steal, kill and rape. They just aren't brave enough to admit it. They hide their acts behind subordinates, and their wives keep quiet about their crimes. Nobles did all the things the pirates did too, but they didn't show it to the world. A dishonest man who tells everyone that he is dishonest is more trustworthy than a dishonest man who calls himself honest.

* * *

Oh well, I'm pretty stupid. I was supposed to make a quick announcement at the end of the chapter, but of course, I forgot. So merry (late) Christmas and happy (late) New Year! I had to travel for a bit that's why it took me so long to update it. Please review, I really need reviews to keep it going, I'm a shameless review whore.


	14. Sirius II

We were in a tiny town somewhere in Europe. I should know the name but I never gave a crap about that. The beer was good and the whores were cheap.  
A few weeks ago, Evans girl decided to be stupid and tried to run away, and now Prongs drinks and drinks and drinks a little more. I was, at the moment, in the tavern, sitting beside him. The place was chaotic with man singing songs about battles and ladies, drowning themselves in beer, talking loudly and laughing. The poor waitress walked around, wearing a white shirt with a brown corset and a skirt that was too short for her own good. I raised my cup and drank the beer that was inside, cleaning my mouth with my hand. She was looking discretely at me so I smiled cockily at her. She was ordinary. Her hair was blonde and her eyes were too tiny for her face. But her breast was full, so I got up, I needed some information, and picking a good looking source wasn't going to hurt. I walked through the tables and ended up in the tiny alley behind the pub. I waited, resting lazily on the wall, watching the grass that was trying to grow through the gaps on the stone floor. I stepped over a tiny flower that was growing, crushing the life out of it. The girl stepped through the door and smiled at me. I grinned back at her and she got near me. The place was narrow, and my back was being pressed in a loosen brick. I could hear a rat passing by.  
"Hello." She said. "I'm Natasha. You?"  
"Names aren't important."  
"But I told you mine."  
"I'm John Smith."  
"No." She replied, her smile growing bigger. "You're a liar."  
"Maybe I'm both. So, sweet Natasha... You work in a pub in a city next to the sea. You must hear all sorts of things."  
"Actually, Mister Smith, I do."  
"So you could tell me..." Her smile shifted into a mocked grin.  
"Oh, you think I will tell you anything you ask? You were right, I do hear all sorts of things. And I also see all sorts of men. And I'm not spilling any information just because a good looking bloke asked me."  
"Well, that's a shame." I said.  
"I suppose so." She said, heading inside again. I held her arm, and pulled her, pressing her against the wall.  
"You were right. I'm not John Smith. I'm Sirius Black. And Sirius Black always get what he wants." Her eyes were wide, but beside that she didn't show fear.  
"I don't negotiate with pirates."  
"I have two questions." I said, holding her with one arm, and using the other hand to get the knife on my coat. "The first one, is about the Evans. And the second, is about the mermaids." I put the knife close to her neck. "Any say about it?" She kept her mouth shut, staring at me.  
"I told you. I don't negotiate with pirates." I pressed the knife, and a thin line a blood started to run down her throat.  
"You think a knife in my neck is going to scare me, Black?" She spit the name, disgusted.  
"Oh, I love the way you say my name."  
"Black." She warned me.  
"Yes, do it again." She kept quiet. "Let's do it this way, shall we?" I pressed my body against hers. "Two options. First one: you talk, we fuck, and I leave. Second one: I fuck you, you talk, and I cut your throat. And I'm not one of these stupid boys from here. I killed before. Do you think I regret it?"  
We stared into each other, her breasts pressed against my chest, my knife near her neck. She closed her eyes for some seconds, then opened again. And started talking.

* * *

_I should tell him. _I thought, looking at Prongs. _Then he would tell Lily. Maybe it would bring their friendship back._ Prongs was playing dice and drowning himself in rum, laughing at everything, but the laughter never reached his eyes. I wasn't going to tell him. Not quite yet, at least. I looked around the place. We were indoors, and the candle illuminated the table they were playing dices and only this. I could hear the unfortunate ones who had to work for the night outside, but besides them, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. I spotted her. Katherine, drunk as hell, laughing hysterically about something Moony said to her. She had a hand in his arm and her face was too close to his. They laughed a great deal and they talked a great deal too. Why my Katherine was talking to _Moony_? It's not like they were friends. I got up from the place on the floor I was sitting and touched Kath's arm.

"Can I borrow you for a minute?" I whispered in her ear, smiling politely at Lupin.

"Of course." She mumbled, getting up. "I'll be back soon, Remus." _Or not._ I gave her my best smile, and winked, holding her hand and pulling her away from the crew. By the corner of my eye, I could watch as her looked behind and waved at Lupin. I gritted my teeth, but when she looked at me, I smiled.

"So you and Lupin are friends now?"

"Yes. I mean, we just started talking. It's not like we are the best of friends but…"

"I see…" I replied, opening the door of a cupboard for her.

"Oh, Sirius!" She said, looking to the cupboard and then at me. I started moving brooms and buckets so we would fit. "I… I don't do this anymore." I raised my body and looked at her in disbelief. It was dark here, the only light being the tiny gap of moonlight that entered the place.

"What?" I asked.

"I… That day… Well, I thought we were…"

Oh for gods' sakes, she was _hurt_. I held back the urge to roll my eyes.

"Over? Of course we are not over."

"You said" she began, getting closer to me. "That we were just sex."

"Well we are! Just sex is great. Just sex prevents you from getting hurt."

"I don't wanna be just sex!" She replied exasperated.

"Katherine…" I said, holding her by the shoulders. "Do you wanna ruin what we have?"

"No, I don't, I _like_ you but…"

"And I like you too! Let's just keep it that way."

"I wanna be more." She whispered.

"More ruins everything. I like you and you like me back. We have fun together. More would ruin what we have. Love would ruin what we have."

"I never had love." Katherine said, her eyes shining with tears. "I just want to be loved."

"Love is weakness." I said, caressing her face. "Why can't you settle for what we have?"

"But why can't we be more?" She asked, holding my hand, passing her fingers through mine. I pressed my lips against hers.

"Because we wouldn't work." I could see her giving up.

"Yes. Yes, you're right, I suppose so."

I kissed her again, and this time she kissed me back. I pushed her inside the cupboard and she closed the door. At least I would have a few more months, and then she will probably come up with this "more" non-sense again.

* * *

"Pepper!" I screamed, tumbling down the stairs. The world was kind of dizzy. The floor was a bit twisted. "Pepper, where are you?!" I asked.

"Here, where I always had been for the last month, Dog!" She replied, giggling. She started calling me Dog since the first time I was really drunk around her and started barking.

"So" I said, getting the keys from the wall. "For gods' sakes how many keys are here anyway?"

"Five." She replied, raising and eyebrow at me. I got my face next to hers. There was something quite fascinating about her hair today.

"Your hair! It's orange!"

"Black, what did they put in your drink?" She asked, half laughing, half speaking.

"Alcohol?" I asked. "Shush now. I need to focus." Really, it wasn't that hard to open her cell before. The keys weren't helping, they kept moving.

"Did you bring me food?"

"What?" I asked, raising my eyes at her.

"Food."

"Oh, no, I forgot." My eyes moved back to the keys. My fingers refused to obey, and they kept mingling together.

"Sirius…" She called.

"Shush!" She kept quiet for a bit, but I felt her stare in my hands, and I could see she was biting her lip, holding her laughter.

"Want any help with that?"

"Oh, I give up." I said, handing her the keys.

"It's not really correct to a prisoner to open her own cell, you know."

"You are too cherry today, lady." I said, pointing a finger at her face.

"You mean cheery." She corrected me.

"Don't correct the drunk pirate! Haven't your father thought you that?"

She opened the door for me, and I sat beside her.

"Hello, Pepper."

"So, you came all the way down here, drunk as you are, without any food, just to say hello?"

"I came to tell you a story!"

"Oh, a _story_. That will fill my stomach."

"If you gasp and cheer in the right time I might bring you food." I said. "Now keep quiet and listen to my story."

"Aye aye captain." She said, leaning in my shoulder.

"So, we were going after mermaids. Can I tell you this? I don't think I can."

"You already did." She remarked.

"Oh, well, it's a secret, don't tell anyone."

"Will try." She said, laughing again.

"Okay, mermaids." I focused again. Why it was so hard to focus? "I need more rum."

"No, you don't, the story, please."

"Right. And we knew where to go because I, Sirius Black, am a genius, and got it out from some girl at a pub. Teresa, her name was? Well, who cares? Actually, I asked her another thing, and her answer was very important but I can't remember quite why…"

"The story, Black."

"And we went to the right place! And oh, Pepper the mermaids were perfect. They were absolutely perfect! And their voices, I swear to you, I almost threw myself in the sea. Actually, I tried. Moony hold me. That was pretty nice of him, I suppose."

"Yes, I suppose it was."

"But I'm still mad at him." I said, lying on the floor.

"Why are you mad at him?" She said, putting her hands on the floor and using her arms to support her body. She looked down at me now.

"I am telling you a story, don't be rude to interrupt." I said, pointing a finger at her again. "My fingers are weird, you know. Fingers are weird. Why do we even _have _fingers, really? And nails. Tell me, what's the use of nails? They're just… there!"

"I really don't know, Sirius. Can you tell me the end of the story?"

"Of course I can!" I exclaimed, sitting up. "That's what I'm trying to do! _I _am the drunken one, and you're the one that keep saying nonsense?"

"I am sorry?" She asked, raising and eyebrow and smiling.

"And then, there was a fight. Fight with mermaids, I will be telling this story to my grandchildren!"

"Or at some crowd in a pub."

"Yes, that too. The mermaids kicked our men' asses of course. But one got hurt. And we got her. She's in a tank in the Captain's office right now. A beauty, really."

"You got a mermaid?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"But she has a tail! Like there is no opening to… there! How the hell to mermaids have sex? I mean, they can't even masturbate! Do you they are born of eggs?"

"Sirius, you got a mermaid and that's really all you can think about?"

"And how do they go to the bathroom? I mean, I don't even think they go to the bathroom, they probably do their… thing in the ocean. The ocean is full of mermaid's piss!" I said, grimacing.

"Sirius, really."

"Do you think they ever get thirsty?"

"I don't think they do, Sirius, no."

"Oh, that's good then, because they would have to drink their own piss." I blinked for too long. Did I fell asleep?

"Do you wanna sleep?"

"I don't wanna sleep, I'm fine."

"I think you should go."

"Did you like the story?"

"I loved the story. It was the best I ever heard."

"Of course it was the best! Really, it involves me and mermaids."

She laughed.

"Go to sleep."

I got up, supporting myself in the bars. The world wasn't spinning so much anymore. I locked the door and put the keys back in their place.

"Goodnight, Pepper."

"Goodnight, Dog."

* * *

Hello again! Hope you liked it. I shamelessly admit that Sirius and Lily are my new favorite brotp. Please review! Thank you for the favorites.

And Mandy, thank you! I'll try to add some more romance, I'm really not that good at this.


	15. Remus III

I sat beside the mermaid's tank. The creature was wonderful and mysterious. Her tail was made of green shining scams, that went half up her belly. Her skin was pale, too pale. It was almost transparent. Her hair was long and black, and her face didn't look human. Her eyes were wide and purple, and her pupils were cat-like. Her face was thin, and her mouth tiny. It curved in a small grin, with two sharp teeth showing up in the corner of her lips. They seemed ready to cut and rip. I looked down at the food in his plate, moving the food from one side to another. I was going to be the mermaid's babysit, to make sure she didn't enchant and trick someone to throw her back to the sea. When she first got captured, she screamed, hissed and attacked, but the moment she was inside the tank, that was left indoors and far away from a door, she stopped, her breath fast and her eyes burning with anger. She really has all the reasons to be furious, but that'll soon pass. We had never captured a mermaid, but we had did it with a lot of girls. All of them were angry at first. Full of rage and mean words. But then they got used to their fate. They would eventually become friends with the crew, or accept that they're doomed and cry about it, of be numb.  
I rested my head on the wall, bored. My day, from now on, would basically resume in taking care of the mermaid. The Captain thought I was noble enough to be charmed by her. He trusted me to be decent enough. If only he knew…  
"So" I said. "Are you hungry?" I completed, putting a mouthful of food on my mouth. The mermaid hissed, and didn't answer. "Look we are spending an awful lot of time together. Unless you wanna hiss and be cross for weeks, I suggest you start talking."  
She gave me a sharp look, and we kept quiet for a few moments.  
"I don't eat men's food. I eat men." She replied. I smirked at her.  
"That's too bad, because you won't be getting any food."  
"It takes months for me to starve."  
"Lucky you." I said. She kept her gaze on the wall, her grimace showing her disgust.  
"Why do you need me for?" She asked with gritted teeth.  
"Dunno. I just obey orders."  
"I've saw another humans. You're different from them. Your group."  
"What do you mean, different?"  
"The humans I saw. They dressed differently. They were clean." She explained. "And polite." I smiled at her. She may have seen a ship from a town.  
"Oh, you saw the civilized part of my race." I explained. "How about your life? In the ocean?"  
"This doesn't matter." She said, pulling her hand in the border of the tank, and leaning her body forward, getting closer to me. "Because I am not getting back there, am I?"  
"I... I..."  
"Don't tell me you don't know. You humans are all the same. You'll sell me, or kill me or any other sick thing you feel so joyful to make."  
"I won't..."  
"No. But you'll allow it."  
"If it was the other way around, if your people had captured me, I would be dead already."  
"That's different." She stated.  
"How so?"  
"Your kind is disgusting."  
"Your kind kills humans."  
"And yours kills animals!"  
"Are you comparing me to a cow?"  
"That's exactly what you are to me."  
"I don't understand why do you think your kind is better than mine." I said, exasperated. She was too, a killer.  
"My people doesn't do war. Or kill each other, or separate itself in social classes, making kids starve and fat men stuff themselves with food."  
"It's not my fault this happens."  
"Your family..."  
"They are not my family."  
"Your family." She continued. "You live with them, and share rooms and food. This is your family."  
"I don't have a family."  
"Your friends" she allowed. "captured me. For the selfish purpose of selling me. My people and I kill because we must. But how about you? Why do you kill for? Your shoulders are heavy with all the people you killed. Did they cry? Did they beg for you to let them live? Did they scream? Did killing all of them were really necessary, or you just did it because you could?" I stood there, quiet, staring at her. "Who really is the monster?" She asked, returning the gaze. I stood up, and left, closing the door behind me. I didn't need to be in the same room with her to guard her.  
She was right. I had killed more than necessary, most of the times just because the person wasn't useful to me, or because they were just there. I would stab someone on the chest or on the back, without giving a second glare to their face. I've killed men and children and women. Even ripped a baby from a mother's arms, just because I was told to. I was a monster. I would always be.

* * *

Melody, her name was. I found that out when I bothered to ask her. She didn't despise me anymore. Yet sometimes she looked at me and her sharp teeth flashed, but I got used to it. She had tons of jokes I've never heard of, like one with the dolphin and the whale or the fish and the shark. And she had never seen a parrot before, and I'll never forget the look of complete delight on her face when the bird spoke. Days came and went, and has they did, I slowly began to spend more day inside the room talking to her then sitting outside it.  
"Do fish talk?" I asked, that particular day.  
"No!" She laughed. "Why would they?"  
"I always got the impression that they would talk."  
"Animals don't talk. Except that funny bird of yours."  
"Oh, it's not mine. It's George's. The poor man is blind from an eye. I got him drunk and took the bird for the evening and he didn't even realize it."  
"You stole poor man George!" She exclaimed.  
"In my defense, he got so pleased when I returned the bird. 'You found him! I thought he had flew!"  
She laughed, her tail splashing some water at me.  
"You really are a monster, Remus."  
"Yeah..." I said, vague. "Do you miss home?" Her smile slowly fade away, and she moved uncomfortably.  
"Well, it was my home after all." She said, quietly. "But grieving won't take me back there. I think nothing will."  
"I'm sorry." I said, not looking at her. "I mean... We were just doing what we were told to."  
"You just obey." She remembered, and I nodded. "I was foolish that day too. I thought no human would catch me. I wanted to prove I was brave and useful. You know how that turned out."

* * *

"How's the fish?" Katherine asked, sitting beside me, and smiling. I was standing in front of the door again, guarding it. It was night by now. The moon wasn't in the sky tonight, and that made me act more civilized. The sky was full of stars, but their light wasn't bright enough, so I had a lamp by my side. Katherine was extremely full of life tonight. Her hair was messy, like she passed her hand way too many times, her cheeks were flushed and her lips red.  
"Where were you?" I asked, looking at her.  
"Busy." She replied, grinning. "The fish, Remus, focus."  
"She's not a fish. Her name is Melody." I defended her. "She's actually nice when you get over the "I hate all the humans I wish I could rip you into pieces and eat them all" phase."  
"So nice."  
Sirius passed in front of us, his hair  
equally messy and his grin splitting his face in half.  
"See you later babe!" He said, winking at Katherine. She blushed, and waved at him quietly. She bit her lip and looked at the floor, seeming thoughtful.  
"Are you and him..."  
"No! I mean, yeah. We just fool around."  
"Oh."  
"I tried to stop it. But... well, what bad could it do?" She murmured. "It's not like I'm not fucked up already."  
"You're not f..."  
"Forget it, Remus." She looked up and smiled gently at me. "They're probably playing cards right now, fancy getting drunk?"  
"Can't. I have to stay here."  
"Alrighty." She said, getting up. "See you tomorrow."  
"Kath?"  
"Yeah?" She asked, looking at me.  
"Please, be alright."  
"Oh, Lupin. I'm always alright." Katherine smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. She turned on her back and left.  
She always seemed so happy. Energetic, even. Jumping around, drinking a lot, laughing even more. A few months before Lily showed up in the ship, she began to smile more when Sirius was around, and to brush her hand on his. They would sit close to each other, and she would always cheer louder when he won a game. But Sirius would never talk to her during the day, or sit near her. He wouldn't brush his hand on hers and smile at her like she was special. She was the caring bit in whatever relationship they had. But lately... I tried to force my memory. Katherine wasn't making her way to be by Sirius' side. He was. He was holding her hand, and smiling kindly at her, holding the door for her, leaving me and James in a corner to go sit next to her. He was whispering in her ear and making her blush. Sirius was trying to keep Katherine around. But why?  
I got up and looked at the door. Everyone would be too busy drinking and having fun to remember Melody. And if I locked the door...

* * *

James was drunk. Too drunk. Way too drunk. I came to talk to Sirius, but apparently, Sirius was too good at poker to leave the table.  
"James, keep your voice down." I whispered.  
"I mean, why is he still captain?" He asked. "He doesn't do anything!"  
"James." I warned. Most of the crew was already drunk, or busy paying attention to the game, but two or three were looking.  
"I should be captain." He whispered. I saw Katherine shot a quick glance at our direction.  
"You can't make a riot, James. He's Captain since forever. And he already is angry with you. He would kill you."  
"Not if I kill him first."

* * *

I'm sorry it is too small, but I can promise a little (a lot) of James ad Lily interaction on the next chapter!  
Please review! And thank you for the alerts!


	16. James IV

I went down the stairs, and spotted her there. She was sitting on the floor, and staring at the ceiling. I took a step forward.  
"Lily?" I called, and she looked at me, opening a smile.  
"James! You're here!" She got on her feet, her eyes smiling, but her mouth closed.  
"Hi." I said, quietly.  
"Why are you here?"  
Because Padfoot was being a pain in the ass.  
"I... was wrong... on being so mad at you." I explained. "You just wanted to go home. I understand it. Well, not really. But I can try."  
"I'm sorry I tried to run." Lily mumbled. "I just... I really wanted to see my father." She said. "I mean... I'm his only family. And maybe... No, not maybe. I wasn't really important to him, but he's important to me. And I'm never seeing him again." Her eyes flickered, full of emotions, and tears threaten to show. I quickly opened the door of cell, getting in with her.  
"That's not true..." I whispered, brushing her face with my thumb.  
"Oh, please, James." She said, pushing my hand away. "I'm not some stupid little girl. I know my father is never paying what it takes to bring me back home. Why would he? All I ever did was cause trouble. I'm dying inside this ship, for disease or murder."  
"Lily..."  
"I'm just really tired, alright?" She murmured, sitting down. "I'm really tired of not being important to anyone." I sat beside her, and gazed at her. She was thinner than the last time I saw her.  
"You're important to me." I admitted.  
"You didn't talk to me in months." Lily replied, suddenly angry.  
"You tried to run away!" I exclaimed, not understanding her rage. She wasn't right this time. She tried to leave here. Leave _me_.  
"I wanted to go home!" She screamed at response.  
"Why would you want to go home?! Here isn't good enough? I'm not good enough?" Her eyebrows rose when she understood.  
"Oh." She managed. I looked at her, waiting. "You..." She elaborated, looking at me like I was someone else entirely new. "You don't want me to go."  
I stood quiet there. I didn't want to sound vulnerable. I rarely opened up to anyone. I tried my best to not let my emotions show. Not after what the Captain did to Rose. But she was Lily. She was different. So many girls I've kidnapped. So many houses I've broken in. And yet, in that night, I found her. Terrified yet brave. Graceful yet ferocious. Kind yet rude. Evans was good and bad mixed up in a big mess of opposites. She was a confused girl, but she also was a confusing girl. Perhaps, it was meant to be. And I had to show her that I cared.  
"No. I don't want you to go." I said.  
"So I'm not going." She assured me.  
She wanted to go home, and still promised me she wouldn't. She was sacrificing her home for me. I wanted her to stay. More than anything. I wanted her to belong here. I wanted to wake up and see her close to me and her to be happy here. I wanted to be able to tangle her hair and kiss her lips every day for the rest of my life. But that wasn't possible, because she wasn't a pirate. She was a lady. And I couldn't force her to be otherwise.  
"Lily..." I said, holding her face in my hands. "Soon enough, I'll be captain. And I'll take you home. I promise you."  
"James..." she murmured, putting her hand in mine. "You don't have to promise me anything. I'm not leaving you."  
"Lily..."

Her eyes filled with realization, and then worry.

"And what do you mean with you being captain soon? James, what are you planning to do?" "You can't get yourself in trouble, not again! Your back isn't even completely healed."  
"I need to do this." I said firmly, staring at the wall.  
"Why?" She asked, confused.  
"I just- I just have to, alright?"  
"Why" She began saying, pressing my nose with hers. "Do you always go looking for trouble?"  
"I don't go looking for trouble. Trouble usually finds me." I said, smirking. She rolled her eyes, but smiled kindly. Her green eyes were full of light, and I could count the freckles in her cheek. I should kiss her. I should kiss her right now. I shifted my head to the right, but before I could lean forward, her lips were in mine. My hand slipped behind her neck, pulling her closer to me, while hers went to my hair. Her tongue teased mine, and her kiss was just as fierce as herself. And just like she started it, she broke it apart. Her eyes were now wide with shock.  
"Oh God." She murmured, closing her eyes and putting her hands in her temples.  
"What? Did I hurt you?" I asked, searching for bruises in her skin. She chuckled and shook her head, passing her hand on her face.  
"This is wrong." She whispered.  
"It doesn't feel wrong." I said.  
"If we haven't met I would be married by now!"  
"But we have met!" I said, raising my body slightly. "You're single."  
"I'm still promised to someone." She was afraid, and already pulling away from me.  
"I don't care about that."  
"You should, James. They aren't very different from the men here. If you get in their way, they will kill you."  
"Do you think some stupid lord can kill me? James Potter, a pirate? Oh, Lily. Your words wound me." I joked, trying to light up the mood. She tried to smile, but it came out as a grimace.  
"Lils..." I started.  
"I'm just worried. But it's nonsense. I just don't want you to get hurt."  
But the fact that she had a man waiting for her to get home hurt me. She would marry him, and have children with him. Did he love her? Did she love him? That's why she tried to run away?  
"Stop it." She said against my chest.  
"What?"  
"The thinking you're doing in this head of yours. Stop it. I'm right here. With you."  
"But you will marry him." I only realized how stern my voice sounded once it was already said. She took a deep breath.  
"It's been months I'm here." She said, quietly. "Perhaps the arrangement is over by now."  
"You were worried."  
"When it comes to you, I always am."

We stood there. Her head in my chest and my hand on her back. James Potter and Lily Evans. She said it was wrong, but it felt so damn right.

* * *

Padfoot put a beer in the table in front of me.  
"No, I'm not drinking tonight." I told him.  
"Don't be such a pussy."  
" Okay." I got the cup and took a big gulp. Padfoot grinned and slapped me in the back while Remus chuckled.  
"What?" I asked, cleaning a few drops of beer from my face.  
"You're so determinate with your decisions."  
"Moony, do us a favor okay?" Sirius said, placing a beer in front of him this time. "Shut up and drink."  
"I have to work later." He replied, putting the cup away.  
"What? Do you mean baby-sitting the fish?" Sirius asked.  
"She is not a fis..."  
"She lives in the ocean, she's a fish. And this a folks' night!" He exclaimed, holding his shoulders and shaking him. "No girls, or fish, for that matter involved."  
"Padf..." Remus started, but was quickly stopped by the beer falling into his mouth. He coughed and hit his chest, gasping for air. When he recovered himself, he looked at Sirius. "I'm going to snap your neck!" Remus made his way to Sirius' direction, but he was already running and jumping over legs and chairs. I finished my first cup while they ran across the room. The conversation slowly stopped, but once they realized it was Remus and Sirius, the crew began to laugh. I looked up, and Remus had his arm around Sirius neck, pretending to snap it, while Sirius tried to get himself free. His face redden, probably from embarrassment or because he needed to breathe.  
"Boys..." I said, mimicking a woman's voice. "Please, not in the table." The crew laughed loudly, some of the men hitting the table to express their amusement.  
"Moony!" Sirius whined, trying to pull Remus' arm down. Remus laughed, and messed with his hair using his own fist, and finally let him go.  
"I could bloody beat you!" Sirius assured, but the grin in his face showed he wasn't that mad.  
"There's no need to swear, Padfoot."  
The crew realized the show was over and went back to their games or private conversations. Sirius sat grumpily by my side and took a gulp from his cup.  
"Don't be like this, Padfoot, it's a folks' night!" Remus said.  
"Oh, shut up."  
I turned cup after cup, paying attention to the conversation and sometimes saying something. I may have had four cups. Or five. Or many cups. I should probably stop drinking. I usually say stupid things when I'm drunk, and someday I could get myself in trouble, but I had to say it.  
"How about our riot?" I asked loudly.  
"You were serious about it?" Sirius asked.  
"Are you utterly insane?" Remus half exclaimed, half asked.  
"He can do to Lily what he did to Rose!" Sirius whispered.  
"Have you not seen your back lately?"  
"Of course I haven't seen my own back, Lupin, are you stupid or what?" Remus rolled his eyes at me. "I just mean... He's not being fair lately. You know he isn't! Getting all the money to himself, like he did in the last town. He got more than half of my gold!" I screamed.  
"James." Remus said through greeted teeth. I looked around and I saw that most of the crew had stopped what they were doing and were looking at me. "Shut the fuck up." He urged me.  
"Yes. I am. I..."  
No, I wasn't. I wasn't stopping. Not now. I got up and climbed onto the table, standing on my feet there.  
"Oh dear Lord." I heard Remus whispering.  
"The Captain" I started, looking around. Some of them were too blurry, but I didn't care. There was a girl standing on her feet to and staring at me, her arms crossed. Why was she doing that? "is a bitch, for the lack of better words." Some laughed nervously, others stood quiet. "And we work way to hard to let someone like him command us!" A part of the group shifted in their sits, slightly interested. "I've been in this ship for eighteen years and some of you even more. You, Tony!" I said, pointing at the one of the oldest man in the crew. "You've been here for so, so long." Tony nodded, quietly. "Did he ever thank you? Did he ever say 'oh Tony, you are here for so long, thank you so much for being so loyal'? Or did he give you a day off? Let you keep all your money? Tell me Tony!"  
"No." He said, weakly.  
"No!" I said, turning to the crew. "No!" I repeated, louder this time. "He never did it. He never tells us his plans. We deserve to know, don't we?" The crew nodded forcefully, some even screaming in agreement. "He doesn't even tell us the name of the freaking town we're robbing!" More nodding. "And now he's fucking stealing from us!" I said, punching a table. "Without us, he's nothing! And he dares to steal from us. He asking for it."  
I heard a jeers of yes.  
"Yeah, yeah. Great idea. Revolution!" said a man, standing up. It was Matthew. "But who is going to lead us?"  
"I am." I said, staring at him. "I've been in the ocean for eighteen years. All my life. I know every secret and every trap of this world. I am part of the ocean. And I would not betray you. Not now, not never."  
The crew stood quiet, and when I thought they would throw me at the sea, they started cheering. I smiled faintly, and sad down next to Sirius and Remus. Padfoot was grinning, and Moony slowly shook his head, smiling.  
"One more cup for your soon-to-be Captain!" Sirius screamed and soon enough they were five or more cups in front of me, and hands in my shoulders and beaming faces. I felt a body passing nearer to my arm and I heard the door close shut, but I didn't bother to look who was it. Tonight, I was the hero.

* * *

The sun was burning my bare back. I was washing the floor, and took my shirt off, because the day was just to hard. The crew seemed to think that yesterday's talk wasn't just a drunken joke. They knew it was for real. Some stopped and smiled, some people who didn't even nodded hello at me were now saying "Good morning" and "Hello". They were handing be bottles of wine and water, and offering me food. Perhaps, it would work out. The plan was already forming in my head. The Captain wouldn't know what hit him.  
Suddenly, someone grabbed me by the shoulders and pressed me to the wall.  
"You little piece of shit." He groaned, putting his hand to my neck. "You thought I wouldn't realize? Uh? You think you can just go behind my back and start a fucking revolution?" I clenched my nails on his hand, gasping for air.  
"I raised you!" The Captain screamed to my face. "I am the boss here! Not you! Who do you think you are? You are a child."  
He slowly took his hand of my neck, and I breathed deeply.  
"I..." I began saying, but he cut me off.  
"Someone tie him to the pole!" He screamed.  
I took a step back, but met the wooden wall. The scars on my back began to ache again, the ones that made me hold a sword difficult, the ones that stopped me from doing quick movements. _Not again._ Was the thought that ran in my head. Please, not again.

* * *

Yay! New chapter (finally). Thank you for the new followers of the story, and please read and review! I wanted your opinion on that Remus/mermaid story, or if you're more fond to Katherine/Remus. Personally, I am more of a shipper of Sirius/Katherine, but still, let me know. And also, I remember _Mandy_ asked for a bit more romance, so I tried to put a bit of Jily in this one.


End file.
